


of captive souls and broken bonds

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst, Battle, Blood, Captivity, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hurt/Comfort, Imprisonment, Insecure Lance (Voltron), It's like after season 2 but zarkon is still there, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron)-centric, M/M, Nightmares, Pining Keith (Voltron), Post Season 2, Psychological Torture, Slow Burn, Torture, Violence, and Shiro is there, and no lotor, cause fuck it that's how I wanna write, descriptions are lowkey but galra torture is still there, she/her pronouns for pidge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-24
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2018-10-10 05:24:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 27,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10430076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: For him, it had just been a normal battle. Well, no battles were “normal” for the Defenders of the Universe. But Lance didn’t think it’d change his life. He didn’t think it’d change him forever.He was in Zarkon’s clutches. He may have felt like giving up, but Lance knew he had to push through whatever was coming his way. For himself. For his teammates. For Voltron.UNCOMPLETED: FULL CHAPTERS 1-4 AND THEN A SUMMARY OF WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED AFTERWARDS





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I finally wrote this!! This idea has been in my head forever and I'm pretty happy to get it out. The tags may make the fic seem a bit heavy (I mean it is) but the first chapter is probably the least heavy it's gonna get. Also, any descriptions are lowkey (the Galra deserve to get their asses kicked). I have the second chapter written as well, but that won't go up until I finish the third (and so on). I really hope you like this, or it breaks you. Either one works.

For him, it had just been a normal battle. Well, no battles were “normal” for the Defenders of the Universe. But Lance didn’t think it’d change his life. He didn’t think it’d change him _forever._

 

...

 

“Paladins, we need to get out of here!” Allura yelled over the intercom. Lance swerved his lion to avoid a shot from one of the ships. He breathed heavily and could feel his heart pounding in his chest. It was true that they weren’t doing too well. Their only choice was to retreat.

 

“Allura, make a wormhole as soon as you can! We need to leave!” Shiro said. Lance watched as the four other lions struggled in front of him.All of a sudden, a Galra ship started to fly towards him. Lance quickly dodged the shots and turned around, shooting the ship in the process. He had a mini celebration when it exploded, but it was cut short when he heard Keith’s scream over the intercom. Lance immediately moved to get a view of what happened. The red paladin seemed to be cornered by four different ships. He was almost pressed against the giant Galra ship, making it extremely hard to avoid the shots. Lance flew towards him, shooting the four ships in a swift turn, making them explode one by one. He smiled at his shots, feeling pretty proud of himself.

 

“Thanks, Lance,” Keith said, sounding pretty out of breath as he flew away.

 

“No problem, mullet,” Lance replied, smirking.

 

“Paladins!” Lance could hear Allura’s voice again. “I will be able to create a wormhole, but I need you to be close. I won’t be able to hold it for long.”

“Gotcha,” Pidge answered.

 

“We’re coming, Allura,” said Shiro. The lions all turned to and zoomed towards the castle ship, fighting off Galra ships while at it. Lance started to join in, but it was difficult. Galra ships seemed to be crowding him more than they did the other paladins’ lions. They were surrounding him. Lance struggled to fight them off and quickly fell behind. Soon enough, all the lions were near the castle except Lance.

 

“Where is Lance?!” Allura yelled.

 

“I got held back by Galra ships! There’s way too many!” Lance cried out, practically begging for extra help.

 

“Lance are you okay?!” Hunk inquired. “Somebody should help him.”

 

Lance’s instinct was to agree with Hunk, but he thought to himself for a moment. No. He knew what he was doing. He wasn’t going to let himself be weak. He always felt like the team never saw him as important. He wanted to prove them wrong. Lance was important and he was capable. He’d show them. He’d get out of the mess. He could do it.

 

“I got this guys! Don’t worry!” Lance shot at the ships, hitting a couple of them as he spun. He still didn’t hit all of them. Now that most of the paladins were farther away, Lance was left alone with most of the ships. He grunted as he struggled. “Come on girl,” He whispered to Blue. He was starting to doubt his abilities, but there was no way Lance was giving up.

 

The number of ships increased and increased, exacerbating the problem. Lance began to feel extremely overwhelmed. He also felt so tired, he could shut down at any moment.

 

“We need to send in help!” Keith yelled! “We can’t leave Lance!”

 

“Keith, it’s too dangerous!” Allura replied. “Lance, you need to hurry! We won’t be able to idle for much longer!”

 

“Allura, I’m coming!” Lance said. He managed to make his way through some ships and began to fly closer to the castle, dodging the blasts coming at him.

 

“We can’t stay still, or else the Galra will capture us all. I am making the wormhole now, we’re counting on you to make it in time.”

 

“Okay Allura!” Lance took a deep breath. He had to be quick. He couldn’t mess up. Not now. Not if he wanted to stay alive. He could feel his heart pounding, and beads of sweat racing down his forehead. He’d never felt so anxious. He knew his life was on the line, which fueled his nerves. But, it also seemed to motivate him. Lance flew as fast as he could. Soon, he could see the wormhole in the distance. “I’m close!”

 

“Hurry, Lance! I am going through the wormhole now. It will close in 30 ticks.”

 

Lance felt a sense of relief wash over him. He was going to make it. He smiled as he flew towards the wormhole, ready to be reunited with his teammates. Ready to be safe. However, that smile faded when five ships flew up in front of him. Lance got ready to shoot, but he suddenly froze in midair. He pulled the trigger. _Nothing._ He tried to fly forward. _Nothing._ His lion started moving, moving backward. Lance had a bad feeling that he was being pulled towards the giant Galra ship.

 

“Allura!” He yelled. “Shiro, Keith, Hunk, Pidge?! Anyone?!” A feeling of dread washed over Lance as he realized it. They couldn’t hear him. They’d gone through the wormhole. And it’d be closing in about five seconds. Lance screamed, pulling the ignition. He pressed all the buttons he could find. Nothing happened. “Blue, come on!” But it was too late. He was being pulled into the Galra ship. He was going to be captured. He’d _failed._

... 

 

Keith ran out of his lion and straight to where Allura was. The wind whipped through his hair, causing it to fly into his face and disrupt his vision. He didn't care. He needed answers about Lance. Lance had to have made it. Keith wasn't sure if he could live with himself if he didn't.

 

The boy suddenly skidded to a stop when he reached Allura in the center room of the castle. Soon after him, the other paladins arrived. They all looked as anxious as Keith did.

 

Keith was the first to speak. “Did he make it? He has to be behind us or something.” Any second now, Lance would appear. He'd walk into the room, bragging about his achievements. He'd tell Keith about how he saved his ass. He'd do what he'd always do. Any second now. Any second.

 

“I must track his lion. He is not in the castle, but that doesn't mean he didn't make it through,” Allura explained. “He simply may not have reached the castle.” Keith felt his heart skip a beat for a moment. Allura had to be right. She had to be. Keith looked around at the other paladins, looking for some kind of relief from the panic. They didn’t help. Keith didn’t blame them for being worried as well, but he really needed comfort at that moment. He turned his gaze back to Allura, just in time to catch her face fall. Keith’s eyes widened and his heart seemed to stop as he realized what had happened.

 

“He...didn’t make it,” Allura said solemnly. A chorus of gasps erupted through the room. Keith stayed quiet. Coran walked up to Allura and placed his hand on her back. He didn’t look too good either. It was common knowledge among the paladins that Coran favored Lance. Pidge was looking down, her hands held in front of her as if she didn’t want to speak. Hunk seemed frozen. The look of defeat on his face broke Keith’s heart even more. Even Shiro looked distressed. Something was definitely messed up when it visibly affected the team leader’s emotions.

 

Hunk was the first to speak. “W-what are we going to do? We can’t….form Voltron without Lance. And...what will they do to him? We need to save him.”

 

“I-I don’t know.”

 

Shiro walked up next to Allura and began to speak. “It’s too dangerous to try now. We can’t form Voltron and even if we didn’t want to, we have one less lion. That’s just too risky. We need to wait, find a good time to attack. As for Lance, I don’t know either. We can only hope he’ll be alright.” Keith wanted to speak, but couldn’t. He felt like he was being held back, like claws were gripping at his neck, preventing him from uttering a single word. He couldn’t believe it. He felt so guilty. Lance had saved Keith back there, but Keith didn’t save him. He wanted to save Lance. He so desperately wanted to. But he didn’t. And now, Lance was gone.

 

Shiro must have noticed what Keith was feeling since he turned his gaze towards him. “Keith? Don’t beat yourself up. We did everything we could.” Keith clenched his fist. They _didn’t_ do everything. They could’ve saved Lance. He deserved to be saved. Keith was tired of everyone acting like Lance wasn’t crucial to the team and only just realizing how bad it was to have him gone. He then realized how hypocritical he was. He never told Lance that. He never outright told him he was a necessary part of the team. Damn, Lance must have felt worthless. Keith and Hunk made eye contact for a moment. They exchanged looks of sadness. Keith knew Hunk understood his feelings. Hunk felt them too. Shiro spoke once more. “Keith?”

 

“I-I’m going to get some rest. Goodbye.” Keith turned and headed for his room.

 

“Keith, wait!” Pidge suddenly piped up. Keith ignored her and continued to walk on. He knew he wasn’t being fair to the other paladins. At least they were trying to hold it together. But he couldn’t help it. His mind kept wandering to how Lance must be feeling at that moment. Was he feeling scared? Regretful? Did Zarkon already get to him? Surely they’d try to get information out of him and not just kill him right away. Keith winced at the thought of the Galra torturing Lance for information.

He didn’t know what would happen. He didn’t know what they were going to do to Lance. But he did know one thing. He was going to save Lance one day, no matter what.

 

...

 

The halls were quiet except for the pounding feet of the soldiers. Lance didn’t dare make a sound, for he didn’t know what could happen to him. His hands were held firmly behind his back by cuffs that had been put on by one soldier. The others surrounded him in a menacing manner, making sure Lance had no route of escape. Lance felt tired, drained. Like he could barely walk. He just wanted to collapse on the floor and sleep. He wanted to be at the castle, safe and sound. He wanted to be with the paladins.

 

But he wasn’t with them. He was in Zarkon’s clutches. He may have felt like giving up, but Lance knew he had to push through whatever was coming his way. For himself. For his teammates. For Voltron.

 

The group of soldiers stopped at a large door, stopping Lance with them. The door stood tall above Lance, a dark shade of purple like the rest of the ship. Lance could tell where it lead before they even went in.

 

One of the soldiers placed their hand on a scanning device. It lit up for a moment, and then turned green and made a beeping noise. The door slowly opened, sides of it disappearing into the wall and exposing the room in front of where Lance stood. Before Lance could process what was inside, he felt a sharp push on his back and fell over. Having no hands to do so with, he wasn’t able to stop the fall and hit the ground sharply. The boy ignored the growing pain and sat up as fast as he could. On the floor, blood dripping from his nose, and in handcuffs, Lance stared at the room before him. The very front of it consisted of mostly windows, showcasing the outer space before them. Galra soldiers were scattered around the room, but what really grabbed Lance’s attention was the figure in front of him. _Zarkon._ He stood in front of his throne (or at least Lance thought it was a throne) facing Lance. He glared at Lance with his menacing purple eyes, his face void of emotion. His fists were clenched at his sides and he towered over Lance intimidatingly. His stomach dropped. Lance felt like the smallest thing in the world. Like he could be crushed under the emperor easily.

 

“Well,” Zarkon snarled with an evil tongue. “It seems as if we have the blue paladin with us.” He reached towards Lance, and the boy retracted on instinct. Zarkon only reached further and held Lance by his chin, lifting the boy’s face towards him so he could examine it. “He will most certainly be useful to us.” Lance struggled against Zarkon’s grip, trying to break away. The handcuffs just made it harder. He didn’t realize it at first, but his eyes began to well with tears.

 

“No need to fret...Lance, is it? I have heard the other paladins say your name before. We will not kill you. Not yet at least. No, we need you for something more.”

 

Lance mustered every amount of courage he had left. “Get the _fuck_ away from me!” He spat. Zarkon wasn’t fazed. He just tightened his grip. It seemed as if Lance’s heart was trying to eject itself from his chest. This wasn't happening.

 

A smile stretched across Zarkon’s face. Lance could hardly call it a smile. It looked so menacing, so evil, so cold. Suddenly, Lance was pushed away. Zarkon’s grip loosened as Lance fell backward, landing on the floor once again. Zarkon turned to the guards. “Take the paladin to his cell. I will call on someone when it is time.”

 

“Time?” Lance inquired. “Time for what? What are you doing to do to me?” He wanted to yell, but it came out as more of a plea. A voice cracking beg of mercy. Zarkon ignored Lance’s words, though he stared straight at the boy. Lance kept asking the question, the volume of his words slowly rising, as the guards grabbed him and began to drag him away. “Please!” He yelled through tears. “What are you doing? Someone help me! Anyone!” By the time Lance was taken out of the room with Zarkon, he realized any slim chances he had of being okay were taken from him. Lance hung his head. He didn't bother to try and stand as the guards dragged him through the halls. There wasn't a point. There was nothing he could do.

 

The soldiers had dragged Lance for some time before they reached a hall full of doors. They pulled him through, leading him to the end of the hall. Lance overhead a cry coming from one of the rooms and shivered. Prisoners must be kept there, and Lance was a prisoner now. But, he had a feeling he'd be in a cell alone. His suspicions were proven correct when the guards stopped at the last cell. A soldier put his hand on a screening device identical to the one before, opening the door. Lance turned his head to look in the room, but he was soon stopped by the pull on his back.

 

The soldier that had grabbed him pulled him up until he was standing. Lance grit his teeth. He wanted to kick the asshole, but that wouldn’t have been a good idea. He was surrounded. To Lance’s surprise, the soldier uncuffed him. He stood in silence for a moment, unsure of what to do. He didn’t even move his hands, in fear. The guard began to push him, leading him to the wall at the end of the room. It was mostly empty. A chair on the right. A table meant for a person to lay on was on the left. Lance felt unsettled at the sight of it. Straps were attached and it was obviously meant for interrogation. The soldier had skipped those two things, though, and headed straight for that hall. Nothing was on it, except one single chain. Lance assumed it was for him. The strong push from the guard that made him hit the wall and slump down told Lance yeah, the chain was definitely for him. The guard attached it to his right hand. It allowed Lance’s hand to reach the ground, but that was about as far as it went. Without a word, all the soldiers left, locking the door behind them.

 

Quiet. That was the word Lance would use to describe the moment. Actually...maybe it was eerie. Strange. Unsettling. Ghostly. Whatever word used, the quiescent vibe of the scenario did anything but put Lance at ease. Everything seemed...surreal. It took a moment for the information to settle in. And that’s when the tears came. It wasn’t that Lance didn’t know why he was crying. He sure as hell knew the reason. More so that he didn’t want to be crying. He didn’t want to be so vulnerable. So weak. He wondered how his teammates would act in his situation. They probably wouldn’t cry like him. They’d be brave. Lance couldn’t help but wonder, did the other members of Voltron really....care what happened to him?

 

He wanted to say sure, of course they do, but Lance was unsure. He knew his capture was partially his fault since he said he could handle the fight himself and all but if Lance didn't say that, would they have saved him? Were they trying to save him? Lance knew it would be extremely challenging without Voltron. And they couldn't even have maybe Allura pilot Blue for a bit just so they could save Lance. Blue was in the Galra’s hands too. Lance concluded that any sort of rescue mission was going to take longer than he hoped

 

So he sat and let the tears flow. There was really nothing he could do, being chained to the wall. It felt good to let it all out. The pain that had been encompassing him from the moment he entered the Galra ship. And maybe some from before then. Lance had a feeling it was going to get worse anyways.

 

He put his free hand on his head, tugging on the hairs in frustration. Lance then screamed. A loose, guttural yell that echoed throughout the room and made his voice sound oddly raspy. He brought his knees up to his chest and buried his head in them. The tears continued to slowly trek down Lance’s cheeks, although his crying was beginning to lessen. Lance gasped to catch his breath and closed his eyes. Hmm, that was nice. Maybe he could just...stay like that for awhile. Lance felt himself begin to drift off, and he was completely asleep by the time the last tear rolled off his cheek.

 

Lance didn't have to imagine what would happen to him. He didn't have to worry about his team. He slept. He slept in those brief moments of relaxation that he could get.

 

...

 

Whispers. The whispers were the worst of all. They crept up Lance’s spine, murmuring little nothings into his ears. Getting inside his head. They snarled, _nobody is coming for you. They don’t want to save you. Nobody even cares._

 

No, no no. Lance felt himself choke on the words. They seemed to wrap around his throat and squeeze tighter with every syllable. _They’ve all forgotten about you by now. What will you do? You can’t depend on them to save you anymore. You are weak._

 

“No!” Lance’s head flew up with a yell. He could feel his heart beating out of his chest. Heavy breathing seemed to take up all his effort. He let himself calm down slowly, gasping here and there. The boy slowly placed a hand on his cheek. He hadn’t realized he’d been crying again in his sleep. He quickly wiped his eyes, ashamed of being so very weak once again. Lance pressed his hand further into his cheek, squishing it the slightest bit. The voices were wrong. They had to be wrong. But what if they were right? He recalled the feeling from his dream. The feeling of the words clawing at his skin, eating him up from the inside out. There was no reason he should believe them. He’d been with the Galra for barely 24 hours. What was he expecting? He knew a rescue would take a long time, certainly not a day. But Lance couldn’t help feeling terribly lonely as the feelings from the other night returned.

 

The team rarely showed the boy any appreciation. Or at least it seemed so to him. He remembered hearing compliments at the ends of missions. “Nice job Shiro.” or “Great work Hunk.” or “That was amazing, Keith,” or “How'd you do that Pidge?” Lance would say “Great job, everyone,” but then they'd all move on. What was Lance’s purpose on the team? Everyone had a reason they were there. Wasn't Lance the sharpshooter? Then again, anyone could learn how to shoot. Hunk’s weapon was also a gun after all. Maybe he was just average, the seventh wheel.

 

Lance looked up at the sound of the door opening, being pulled away from his lingering insecurities. He stared up at the being before him. It was Sendak. Lance shivered at the sight of him. His glowing red “eye” seemed to pierce Lance’s vision with its brightness. His eyes couldn't help but wander to the large mechanical arm. He knew only of some of the abilities it held and he really didn't want to find out if there was any more.

 

“Sendak,” Lance growled, his eyebrows furrowing.

 

A smile spread across the Galra’s face. “Hello, Paladin,” he snarled. “It's time.”

 

“Time for what?!” Lance barked back. He struggled against the chain on his arm. Sendak walked closer until he was only a foot away from Lance, towering over him.

 

“Do not worry. If you answer my questions, harm will not come to you. I need to know about the paladins.”

 

“I won't tell you anything!” Lance struggled against the chain. He kicked Sendak’s leg in frustration, but it had no effect. He froze when he saw Sendak’s expression. It looked cold, heartless.

 

“Okay then,” He began. “We’re doing this the hard way.” Lance’s eyes widened when he saw the sparks of electricity on Sendak’s hand. He felt his heartbeat speed up along with the creeping anxiety and fear.  He knew what was going to happen, and he couldn't do anything about it.

 

“No please don't d-AGH”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance quickly realizes his fate as the Galra spread their merciless pain onto him. He didn't want any of these feelings. But it wasn't his choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's chapter two! Sorry to everyone that I broke with the first one. Get ready cause it'll just go downhill from here. (I'm suffering almost as much as Lance). This chapter is more graphic than the last, just a small warning. Hope you enjoy.

The pain. It was all Lance could focus on. It was so unbearable to him, although the boy continued to fight. Why was he doing this? Because he wasn’t about to let his team down. He couldn’t do that to them. He’d grown so close to everyone it was like they were family. So Lance could endure the hurting if it meant that they’d be safe.

 

Sendak had asked Lance multiple questions about Voltron. Lance refused to say anything. The hitting. The shocking. The pulling. Lance wanted to push it all from his memory. It didn’t last very long, but Lance had a feeling it was only the beginning of a long time of similar pain.

 

The Galra monster had left only about 20 minutes ago (not that Lance could really tell. He was guessing). and Lance was still sitting against the wall. He breathed in and out deeply, resisting tears from flowing again. He really tried to hold it together, but he couldn’t help letting a few slip out and succumb to Sendak’s torture. His nose was beginning to stop bleeding, the red blood drying around Lance’s nostrils. It was pointless to try and wipe it off.

 

Suddenly, the door to Lance’s prison swung open. A rising bubble of hope began to form, but it was immediately burst by Sendak’s recurring appearance. Lance grit his teeth and clenched his one fist that wasn’t in the cuff. Why was he here again? He hadn’t gotten what he wanted but to come back so soon? Couldn’t they give Lance a break? He hadn’t even been there for a day. Lance soon realized that he’d probably never catch a break. The Galra were merciless.

 

Lance’s mind shifted to the Blade of Marmora. Their hospitality towards the paladins had surprised him. He’d never thought Galra would be the type of people to rebel against their own kind. Well, Keith was a paladin and he was half Galra. That had been a shock for Lance. That time Keith had unlocked one of the Galra systems did get him to think, but that was about it. Lance never got a chance to support Keith during that time. Yeah, they were rivals, but he could've at least said something. Besides, the rivalry was in the past now. They still fought, but being members of a team together could do wonders.

 

Lance pushed those thoughts out of his head. Sendak. The monster walked close to Lance and on instinct, he backed against the wall. Sendak didn't hurt the boy, just uncuffed him. Lance wanted to look different at that moment, but he couldn't help the surprise that spread across his face.

 

“Get dressed,” Sendak growled. He threw a pile of clothing at Lance. The boy had forgotten he was still wearing his paladin armor, which wasn't Galra prisoner clothes. He gripped the already torn purple and black fabric in his hands. A ripped purple shirt and black pants. He looked up at Sendak, still sitting on the ground. Sendak huffed and exit the room, closing the door behind him. Lance could hear the click of the door locking. Huh, he didn’t expect the Galra to give him any sort of privacy. There was no point in trying anything, though. He was positive Sendak was standing right outside the door.

 

Lance slowly removed his paladin armor and threw on the clothing he’d been handed. It was about a size too big, but that was the least of his problems. Once he was dressed, Lance stood still in the room. He didn’t want to do anything. He felt sick. This was real. This was happening. He was a Galra prisoner. He had the clothes to prove it. Lance wrapped his arms around his torso, trying to comfort himself, but to no avail. The boy felt empty inside, a feeling he suspected he’d grow accustomed to.

 

As if on cue, the door opened once again, with Sendak of course. Lance glared at him as he picked up Lance’s paladin armor and tossed it to the side. “I will be taking that when I leave.”

 

He then made his way over to Lance. Lance held his stare against Sendak. He needed to be tough and confident, even if it was an act. “What now?” Lance uttered. He tugged at his purple sleeve.

 

Sendak chuckled to himself. He then placed his hand on Lance’s shoulder. The boy tried to retract but Sendak’s grip was too strong. “We have many plans for you.” He then suddenly swung Lance around, with from what Lance could tell took little to no effort. Lance's confident look immediately changed to an expression of surprise. Sendak’s push landed him in the chair on the side of his cell. Lance stayed put, afraid to do anything else. Sendak approached him once more. He took Lance's arms, his grip way too tight, placed them on the sides of the chair, and attached them with straps on the side. He then did the same with Lance's legs. Trapped.

 

“You fucking scumbag,” Lance spat. “Do you really think this is okay?!”

 

“It's more than okay. It's necessary.” Sendak’s snarl sent chills down Lance’s spine. “Now, it's obvious you are not one to cooperate. You have a rather annoying attitude. But, everything has a breaking point. We just have to find yours, don't we?”

 

Lance furrowed his eyebrows. No way. They were not going to crack him. If Lance was going to do anything, it'd be this. He could be weak alone. He could doubt himself alone. But with the Galra? He was determined to be strong.

 

The boy forced a confident smirk. “You wish.” Sendak looked angry at that. Good.

 

“No surprise that you’d make this difficult.” Sendak leaned closer to Lance, his closeness making Lance extremely uncomfortable. He leaned his head to the side. “What is team Voltron’s greatest weakness?”

 

“Assholes who electrocute their paladins with robotic hands,” Lance answered. He was proud of his response until he felt the cold sting of Sendak’s non-robotic hand against his cheek. Lance wanted to touch the spot Sendak slapped but remembered his confined hands. He grit his teeth.

 

“Good to know I'm your weakness. However, I need a serious answer.” Sendak’s robotic arm began to glow and Lance felt his heart rate accelerate.

 

Sendak was still close to Lance. An idea suddenly popped into his head. He contemplated it for a moment and then decided, why not?

 

Sendak glared at the boy. “Answer my question.” Lance proceeded to spit in the Galra’s face. He smirked to himself. Perfect trajectory.

 

“Agh!” The monster growled in frustration. His hand suddenly lit up with sparks and came in contact with Lance’s body. Lance writhed as electricity passed through him. The pain was almost indescribable. Imagine the worst pain you've ever felt. Then multiply it by ten. That was a fraction of what Lance felt, and he knew the longer he’d be with the Galra, the worse it’d get. He shook and screamed as the piercing shocks penetrated his body and made him writhe in horror. After what seemed like forever, the pain stopped. Lance breathed rapidly. In and out. In and out. Any of the energy he had before had left him after Sendak’s torture. And that was only the beginning.

 

“Now, paladin,” Sendak spoke once again. Lance made eye contact with him, still taking deep breaths. His angry glowing red eye seemed to pierce through Lance’s skull. “We can start slower if you want. Tell me about each paladin. Their names. Their strengths. Their weaknesses.”

 

Though hurt, he persisted. “I'll never te-” Lance’s voice was interrupted by sparks beginning to conjure again. Lance gasped out a small no, and immediately chastised himself from presenting such a weak tone.

 

“Answer!” Sendak yelled, the electricity becoming more intense.

 

“Shiro!” Lance screamed out, giving into Sendak’s persuasive methods. “Shiro….is the black paladin. Keith is the red paladin. Hunk is the yellow paladin. Pidge is the green paladin. And I...I'm the blue paladin.” Between the words, Lance had to gasp for air to prevent a sort of panic attack. He was angry at himself. Was it that easy for the Galra to get information out of him? It was only names, how harmful were names? Lance knew not to take that lightly. Names held at least some sort of power and were certainly good for a bit of surprise.

 

“Well, that's a start. I'm assuming that's all you wish to tell.” Lance nodded slowly, hoping that Sendak would give him a break. The Galra sighed and leaned down. He grabbed Lance’s collar and pulled the boy close, so they made direct eye contact. “Do not think I am going easy on you. I made a promise to Zarkson that you will be vital to his takeover. I will _not_ fail him. Which means you will not fail me. Unfortunately, I must ease you into this, for if I continue you'll be too weak for quality answers.” Sendak brought his other, non-robotic hand up to Lance’s cheek. He pressed his claws into the skin, no doubt making a painful mark. “Remember my words, boy.” The Galra monster then pushed Lance down into the chair, grabbed his paladin armor, and walked out of the room, locking the door behind him.

 

Lance took a moment to catch his breath. He felt relief wash over him as he realized he was done with Sendak for the time being. He could relax. Well, that's what he thought in the minutes Sendak left the first time, and his arms and legs were tied (they hurt too). _Something is better than nothing, I guess,_ Lance thought to himself and sighed. He thought for a moment and realized he'd been with the Galra for at least a day. Before they fought it had been afternoon for Lance and the other team members. It was definitely night by the time Lance was in the Galra clutches. Adding up his sleep and “interrogation,” it'd been at least 24 hours.

 

And that's when Lance’s stomach started to grumble. He groaned to himself. Hunger shouldn't really be a concern. But, he couldn't help it after a day without eating anything and being electrocuted a couple times. Speaking of, his tiredness from that session had really got to him. But Lance couldn't sleep again. He'd never be able to fall asleep with his limbs strapped to the chair and his hunger on the rise. He sighed once more, hanging his head.

 

Lance didn't want to think. He'd done enough of that and knew what it could do to his mood. The boy was drained. All energy that had once encompassed him disappeared as fast as a gust of wind could pass by. There was no point in contemplating things. It'd just bring him down more.

 

So there Lance sat. Trying so desperately to push any thoughts out of his mind. Wriggling his bound wrists and ankles to pass the time. Lolling his head this way and that way, for any chance of rest. Nothing. You could hear a pin drop in Lance’s cell. Silence was never a friend of his.

 

It felt like hours and hours had passed as Lance sat there. It very well could have been. Or it could have been mere minutes. There was no way for him to be sure. All Lance knew was that he was relieved when the door finally opened again. And this time it wasn't Sendak. The relief he felt at that was indescribable. It was never good when someone entered the cell, but it was definitely better to avoid torture.

 

Lance turned his head, desperately staring at the newcomer. He looked like a simple sentry. In his hands was a small tray, with a mysterious liquid and an alien food that looked similar to bread. Lance felt his mouth water at the sight of any type of food. The guard set the tray down and walked over to Lance. The boy didn't make eye contact, staring at the wall to his right. (The sentry was wearing a helmet but Lance just made an effort to not look at his face). Thankfully, the guard unbound his limbs. He grabbed Lance’s arm and guided him to the wall near the chain once again. Lance didn't protest out of sheer tiredness and happiness that he was finally out of the chair. The guard pushed Lance to the ground, but to his surprise, didn't chain him to the wall. He then went back to grab the tray, and slowly placed it on Lance’s lap. Lance studied his grey helmet and the purple toned skin that covered any exposed body.

 

“Why didn't you cuff me?” Lance couldn't help uttering the question. The Galra had been nothing but ruthless to him, so why was he left unchained?

 

The Galra paused for a second in a moment of hesitation and whispered ever so softly, “We’re not all heartless.” He then left quickly, striking Lance with a sense of surprise. That definitely wasn't the answer he had been expecting. It got him to think too. How many of the Galra didn't want to be stuck in their position? How many didn't want to be stuck working for Zarkon? It was a jarring question that Lance didn't want to try and answer, for the correct number might be upsetting.

 

He'd focus on the more important things. Like the fact that food was in front of him. Despite his immense hunger, Lance scanned the food first, wondering what the hell it was. He’d never seen anything like it back on the castle ship. The liquid was a purple color because of course, everything had to have a goddamn color scheme. The “bread” seemed to be a normal brown. Lance picked it up first. He was hesitant, but the hunger took over and he took a large bite. He immediately felt content when it didn't taste horrible and his stomach started to feel fuller again. Lance then took a sip of the liquid not pausing this time. It was stranger. It kind of tasted like grape juice but there was something different about it that Lance couldn't put his finger on. He shrugged. Galra drinks.

 

The small meal was finished all too soon, and while Lance could have eaten much more, he was okay with what he got. At least they were feeding him something. That probably meant they intended to keep him alive for longer, which was good in Lance’s book.

 

The boy suddenly remembered his overt tiredness from all his time in the chair. He wasn't chained to the wall this time, so maybe he could be a little comfortable. There was no point in walking around the cell. Lance was 99% sure it was littered with security cameras anyways. So he allowed himself to lay down, placing his hands under his cheek in a traditional sleeping fashion. Lance’s eyes fluttered closed. He ignored the flashing images of Sendak tearing through his mind. He needed to sleep and couldn't bother with any strange flashbacks. Fortunately, his sleepiness overcame him and drowned out despair with dreams.

  
  


Two weeks. He'd been with the Galra for two weeks. It hadn't gotten any better. When Lance inspected his body, he noticed twice as many scars, marks, and bruises then he had before his capture. He couldn't help feeling angry. The Galra had no right to be hurting him the way they did. Things had evolved from Sendak’s interrogation and electrocution. Hitting. Kicking. Throwing. More electrocution. Drugging. Anything to get the slightest bit of information to escape from Lance’s lips. But he closed those chapped gates with his life because he just couldn't reveal information to them. Voltron was more important than Lance’s pain. He’d happily suffer himself if it meant his teammates were going to be okay.

 

Lance had lost count of how many times he’d let tears escape his eyes. Sometimes it was during his “sessions.” Sometimes it was when he was alone in his cell with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company. It felt good, to get it all out that is. He hardly allowed himself to cry with the paladins, for he could easily be seen. It's not like he was ashamed. Crying was a natural part of humanity. Everyone cries. Lance just didn't want to appear weaker than he already was.  He didn’t need more of a bad reputation than he already had. Did he have a bad reputation? Lance didn’t know for sure, but if his outlook on himself was enough to go by, then yeah, he did.

 

His time with the Galra was also ever so draining. The energy was sucked out of him every time he was beaten, kicked around, or questioned. Food or sleep not doing anything to ease the pain. Constant nightmares plaguing his mind and taking over each and every thought. Worrying. Fears. Like everything bad in the world was compiled into one mind and Lance had the unfortunate luck of having it.

 

He didn’t bother to look up when the door to his cell slid open once again. Any high expectations or hope had been eviscerated by the constant waterfall of pain. However, when he heard the jarring voice before him, Lance’s head snapped up. “We have something...different planned today,” Haggar’s voice sent chills through Lance’s spine. Her bright yellow eyes seemed to burn into Lance’s skull as if she intended to break him down with her cold stare. Lance’s eyes trailed across the red lines that adorned her face and the white hair that stuck out of her menacing hood. Haggar rarely came to his cell. When she did, Lance could tell that something was at least slightly important.

 

“Your usual interrogation with Sendak will not be taking place today. Instead, I will be here. Call it an interrogation if you will but it's once again, different this time.” Lance raised an eyebrow. What did Haggar mean by different? He slowly stood, each time becoming harder and harder with his shaking legs and considering the fact that he hadn't walked or ran much more than three feet since he was thrown into Galra prison.

 

Lance glanced at the chair and back to Haggar. Damn, he hated that chair. He’d noticed the few blood stains on it a couple days ago, which could only be his. The straps always felt suffocating and each time he sat there the hollow feeling in his stomach wouldn't disappear for the rest of the day. To Lance’s horror, Haggar nodded at his glance. He let a shaky breath through his lips and walked over to the chair from hell.

 

He refused to make eye contact with the Druid as she tightened the straps so Lance’s wrists were pressing against the cold, hard wood. He’d mostly given up putting on a confident act. It didn't help.

 

“We will begin now.” The raspiness of Haggar’s voice made Lance’s skin crawl with fear. This wasn't going to be good.

 

“What?” Lance spoke, tired and sick of everything. “What are you going to do to me, huh?”

 

“I am going to begin by reciting the information I know about you. Your reaction is key. Don't fret. And while we’re at it, I’d like you to give away some information. Don't think you won't. I have my methods. Also, I have a small….surprise.” Haggar took a strong breath and leaned over in front of Lance. He was sure she could hear his loud thumping heartbeat like a drum.

 

Suddenly, the room filled with black smoke. Lance’s vision was immediately impaired. He couldn’t see a thing. The boy frantically moved his head, trying to grasp whatever was happening around him. He then stopped moving, staring straight in front of him. Dead center was two glowing yellow eyes. Haggar’s. But the laugh that supposedly came out of her was different. It sounded familiar. Too familiar. Lance had to keep himself from audibly gasping when he came to the realization that it was _his_ laugh. He could hear Haggar’s voice laced through the chords, but it was most definitely his, with a more evil tone. The smoke began to clear, revealing the full situation to Lance’s surprised eyes. Standing before him was an exact clone of himself in his paladin armor, except for the frightening yellow eyes and the devilish smile the clone wore. Shiro had told the team about this. The time Haggar attacked Shiro by turning into a clone of himself. It seemed as if Haggar was doing the same with Lance. But this time with a different intent.

 

“You are the blue paladin. Lance McClain.” Lance was shocked by how the voice sounded so much like his. Her ability was incredible if you think about it.  “Your lion was the first to be rediscovered. You have a strong bond with Blue, who is currently in our captivity. You went to the Garrison University on Earth with the yellow and green paladin.”

 

“What good is any of this doing?” Lance spat. He didn't understand. Why was Haggar saying these basic things as Lance? What good was turning into Lance doing for the situation? This was so unlike anything that had happened during his imprisonment before.

 

“I am not finished. Do that again and I will not hesitate to hurt.” That made Lance shut up. Nothing like being threatened by your own clone. “Now for…personal information. I am going off some information you have revealed and our files on Team Voltron. You are unsure of your role as a paladin. You talk a lot. You joke and flirt but in the heat of the moment, you can be a strong leader and perform well. However, these moments are rare.” Lance grit his teeth. He could finally see where this was going. And he didn't like it. “Your bayard is a gun. You are quite skilled with it. Known as the team ‘sharpshooter’ even. Although anyone could learn to shoot a gun, couldn't they? Your role is replaceable.”

 

“Stop,” Lance gasped. He wanted to yell at Haggar. She was fueling the voices from his dreams. The voices that tell him how unimportant he is. He knew those things. They may be hard to accept, but at least he was aware of his role. He didn't need Haggar to enhance his insecurities or any of that. The clone in front of him was like the voices in his head. They had a personified version. Lance just felt worse and worse with every passing second. This is exactly what went on in Lance’s mind. He didn’t need a visual representation of _that_ either.

 

Despite Lance’s plea, Haggar continued. “You're afraid. You're afraid that you really are replaceable. That you're the seventh wheel. You think nobody is coming to save you and I can tell you that according to our radars that is correct for now.” Lance felt his heart snap at that one. His team hadn't tried to save him yet. Lance was positive there was a reason, but he couldn’t focus on that. “You want to feel like you belong. Like you felt on Earth with your family.” How? How did Haggar know this? How was she able to analyze so well? “You...you are worthless”

 

Lance hadn’t realized the hot tears that were forming until one slid down his cheek. He took a deep breath, staring at the ground. He felt small. So very small. With another shaky breath, he spoke. “I know these things. I-I know how replaceable I am. I know how annoying I am to my teammates. I know. I don’t need you telling me.”

 

Haggar then loosened the straps and placed her-no Lance’s hand onto his cheek. He winced in response. Haggar then pressed her (his? Lance was unsure) nails into Lance’s cheek. Lance’s nails weren’t as sharp as they felt on Haggar. She must have done something to make them more painful. She then scratched downwards in a fast motion, sending a small pain throughout his cheek. He regretfully let a groan escape himself. There was no doubt a sharp mark on his face, maybe blood too. After that gesture, Haggar left the room. She never changed back into herself in Lance’s vision though.

 

Lance leaned back into the chair and shut his eyes tightly. Tears still fell down his cheeks. He did nothing to stop them. Closing his eyes didn't help either. All he could see were flashes of Haggar disguised as himself. Saying those...those _things_ to Lance. He opened his eyes slowly, allowing another droplet to make its way through. The things Haggar said, Lance knew them already. He’d nearly accepted the fact that he was replaceable. That he wasn't an important member of the team. That he didn't have a thing. But to hear Haggar jeer those harsh words as _himself_? That put a whole new perspective on things. Lance didn't want to see the voice in his head, yet Haggar had captured it perfectly. A malicious version of Lance with burning yellow eyes.

 

It was the eyes. The eyes were all he saw for who knows how long. Nothing could make them disappear. Not staring at the wall with a blank stare nor shutting his eyes so tightly it felt like he could never open them again. Although Haggar had loosened the straps, Lance just couldn't grasp enough courage to stand. So there he sat and there he stayed, visions of bright menacing yellow eyes dancing in his head.

 

...

 

A cold chill crept down Lance’s back. He ignored it in favor of his grogginess though. There wasn’t a day where he wasn’t tired, actually. The room that had been his prison for the past four months was unusually freezing that day though. Probably the coldest it had ever been. Not that Lance could really know though. He’d lost track of the flow of time. It didn’t matter to him. He slept when he could. He ate when he was given food, which was constantly scarce. Sometimes he didn't even bother with eating. He didn't see the point. He’d dropped a lot of weight due to that. Every second in the Galra’s clutches seemed like an hour. Every hour seemed like a passing day. Every day was like a year. It was as if someone was stretching time  as long as it could possibly go. And Lance? Lance was sick of it. He was _so damn sick_ of everything. Yet, he’d lost even more hope. If he hadn’t gotten out in four months, what were his chances of ever escaping? How much longer did he have before he’d be killed? Lance didn’t know.

 

The interrogations had gotten worse and worse. The Galra demanded more information with each and every day. Lance tried so incredibly hard to not let anything slip past his lips but that fragile gate was sometimes broken and he couldn’t help uttering a detail so he’d be spared the pain. He didn’t like revealing more information than he should have, but sometimes the suffering just got too bad for him to bare. He wasn’t strong enough to push through it all.

 

Yet, he was alive. He was breathing. He was alright. Lance used that as motivation. A reason to keep going. A reason to keep fighting. If he’d made it this far, he could keep on surviving.

 

When he had any sort of downtime, the boy spent his time either contemplating or sleeping. He had lots of things to think about. Sometimes he’d try to devise a plan of escape, but they were all futile attempts at nothing. Lingering insecurity and doubt became his only friend. You could hardly call those feelings friends, but they stuck with him constantly. Never really disappearing. Sleeping wasn’t much better than thinking. Constant nightmares continued to plague his mind and send him into a panicked mess in the middle of the night.

 

Now, as Sendak stood before him in his chilling cell, Lance felt nothing but emptiness inside him. Some glossed over version of fear that had been a part of him for so long that it felt normal at this point.

 

Sendak’s all too familiar growl rose in Lance’s ears. “It is time, blue paladin.” Lance sighed. Sendak’s presence had become the norm for him, but he still detested it beyond belief. “We’re going to be trying something else today. While you have been giving us some answers, none of them have been satisfactory. Your information has proven to be useless. I know you know more than you've given us and do not be mistaken, I _will_ push for that information but first, I have been given a plan.”

 

Sendak continued. “I will be making a video call to your teammates. They will be able to see and hear you, however, you will only be able to hear them. It's the perfect bait.” Lance felt his heart skip a beat. His teammates would be able to see him. He’d be able to hear their voices. Lance didn't recognize it until then, but it felt like he’d slowly been going crazy locked up with the Galra. His friend’s voices….they were a damn good form a reassurance.

 

However, Lance didn't think contacting them would be the best idea. Sendak always had the most malicious intentions. And he didn't like that bit about bait either.

 

Sendak uncuffed Lance’s wrist from the chain on the wall. He winced at the touch he’d grown to hate so strongly. Lance then stood up, which was getting harder and harder. Sendak’s gravelly voice spoke again. “Remove your shirt. You must present your scars to the video.”

 

Lance was taken aback by the request. He definitely did have scars, marks, bruises, all of the sort, covering his body. However, it was a strange command. Although Lance did oblige. Even if he did vocally retaliate often, going against Sendak’s orders was a bad decision. The boy slipped off the torn Galra garment, revealing his bare chest. Lance was surprised by the sight of it. He hadn't changed clothing often, and his appearance definitely changed. For one, he’d become noticeably skinnier. Unhealthy levels of thin. Another factor was the marks that littered his body like cryptic flowers in a field. There were white scars that heavily contrasted against the warm brown of his skin, large dark bruises that would hurt if Lance pressed on them, they were everywhere. The most noticeable one was the long pink scar that began around his collarbone and ended next to his naval. It was from Sendak’s robotic arm. He hadn't been particularly cooperative that day and Sendak “resolved” the issue by cutting through Lance’s skin, making a long scar across his chest. He had to be given new clothes since Sendak tore through his shirt.

 

By the time Sendak was making the call, Lance was already settled in his officially least favorite chair, straps and all. Unlike most times, he felt a strange energy buzzing through his veins. They were making a call to his friends. He’d be able to hear their voices. Hunk, Pidge, Keith, Shiro, Allura, Coran. After four months of hell, he wouldn't be escaping which was ideal, but it was a step forward. Or...or maybe a step back. What if Lance worked as bait? What if they were leading his friends into a trap where they’d be taken to suffer as much as Lance had. He didn't want that for them. They were so amazing and _didn’t_ deserve to be harmed in any way. Lance decided then and there that he’d do everything he could during this call to make sure the team wouldn't put themselves in danger for him. He was determined to keep them okay.

 

Lance stared up at Sendak before him. He took a deep breath, readying himself for whatever was about to happen. Lance wasn’t exactly sure of how Sendak was making the video call, but he decided not to dwell on the physics. It wasn’t important. Besides, he could barely see what was happening with Sendak’s towering body in front of him. He recalled seeing him bring a piece of technology with him. Lance could hear the beeping and see the holographic screen peeking out from Sendak’s sides. That must be how the team would be able to see Lance.

 

Sendak turned toward Lance for a moment, his glowing red eye prominent in the dark lighting. He said only one word. “Now.” He was making the call.

 

Lance heard a small ringing sound which could only be the device attempting to contact the castle. It then stopped ringing. Lance swore he could hear the pounding of running feet getting louder. All noises then stopped until Sendak’s voice broke the silence.

 

“Hello paladins of Voltron.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I. Am. So. Sorry. For the next chapter, we'll be going back to the rest of the team to see the video call and how they're doing (mainly Keith for the next one but they'll all get their own time) so that should be exciting (?)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It feels hollow doesn't it?  
> Like something has been taken.  
> Taken from your heart by grabbing hands.  
> Leaving you heaving on the ground,  
> Clutching your chest.  
> Something is missing,  
> Something you hold dear.  
> Why, why isn't it here?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (The summary is the first half of a poem I wrote for this story. The second half will be posted next chapter)  
> Aaaaand chapter three is done. (I say as I've had it done since chapter 2). I was kinda worried I wouldn't finish chapter 4 in time to post this one cause of school things and another fic but I encountered some miracle and got it done. Hope you enjoy and/or cry.

The sound of Keith’s feet hitting the ground with a thump in each step rang through his ears. Running again. He said again like it had been a short time since he’d run so desperately to the main control room. Four months. It had been four months since Lance was taken. He was in the hands of the Galra and nobody knew what was happening to him. He could be...dead. Keith didn’t want to think about it. He’d tried so hard over the months to push the thoughts of the blue boy out of his mind, but they persisted and refused to give up, no matter the case. It was exhausting, to say the least. However, he didn’t have the time to brood. He’d done that enough, and would have plenty of time to do that again after what was happening. They were finally getting a call from the Galra. They were finally getting answers.

 

A video call from the Galra wasn't usually a thing to look forward to. Most of the time it meant some sort of impending doom. Keith even dreaded the upcoming call a little as well, since it could be anything. Good or bad, most likely the latter. But this call relieved them too. They could find out what was happening to Lance and most importantly, if he's alive or not. One of the reasons they hadn't been able to start plans for a rescue, since they simply didn't know. They certainly tried to find out Lance’s state, but Galra tech and records were extremely hard to hack into, even for Pidge. Maybe they could start planning something.

 

It seemed like it took forever for Keith to reach the main hub. The seconds dragged on as hours’ worth of thoughts raced through his head. He knew the other paladins were close to him, if not ahead of him. Everyone was on their toes, anxious, and ready.

 

Keith halted his moving body once he arrived. Allura and Coran had gotten there first. Hunk had arrived the same time as Keith, and Pidge and Shiro soon followed. Nobody spoke. They didn't need words in this moment. Everyone’s eyes were glued onto the castle front as the video materialized onto the glass.

 

Keith soon realized that the Galra on the screen was none other than Sendak. He noticed Shiro clench his prosthetic fist from the corner of his eye. Shiro was the one who had the most experience with Sendak, and it wasn't pretty. They all fought the beast though, which made them all want to punch him in the face. What alarmed Keith more though, was that Lance wasn't in sight. He may just be off screen, but he was never one to be quiet. Keith sucked in a deep breath and held it there, watching, waiting.

 

“Hello paladins of Voltron.” The words left Sendak in a low growl, sending chills through the team’s bodies.

 

“Sendak,” Allura spoke. “Why have you called?”

 

The corners of his lips tugged upwards for just a moment. “I believe we all know why I have called.” Keith gulped. He couldn't breathe. Lance had to be okay. Lance needed to be okay. He needed Lance to be okay.

 

“As you know, we have your blue paladin in our captivity. We have kept him alive for now.” Keith exhaled a long held breath with the rest of the team. Lance was alive. Although, the for now bit was unsettling. “However, he’s been quite resistant when answering questions. Surprisingly strong, yet, still so weak. Haggar was definitely able to break that fragile shell.” Sendak laughed as if it was the funniest thing he’d heard in years.

 

“What did you do to him?!” Shiro yelled. “Show him to us, now!”

 

Sendak smiled, razor sharp teeth glowing in the purple light. “Oh, I will,” he growled, as the camera panned. Nothing could have prepared Keith for what he saw next. The video lowered for a moment, to around Sendak’s torso. He then stepped out of the way, revealing a beaten up Lance, strapped to a bloody chair. It took all of Keith's willpower to stop from audibly gasping.

 

“Lance!” Hunk’s voice, once cowering in fear but now determined, bellowed out. Keith stared at the glitchy video feed with wide eyes. Lance looked so…so broken. His head hung low, making his face mostly hidden. Keith imagined the blue glow of Lance’s eyes turning a dark navy. And his skin. The skin was the worst. His shirtless body revealed it all. Once smooth, covered in freckles and marks and the occasional bruise or scar was now littered with trophies of his days with the Galra. Unfamiliar scars, bruises, marks, imprints. Keith shuddered at the sight of them. What shocked him the most though was the long, running scar from his collarbone to his naval. What the _fuck_ had the Galra done to him. He didn't deserve any of this. Keith clenched his fist in anger. He wanted to give Sendak and whoever else hurt Lance a taste of their own medicine. He knew the rest of the team felt the same way.

 

“This is your blue paladin. Say hello, Lance.”

 

Lance coughed and lifted his head. His eyebrows furrowed in anger, eyes glaring at Sendak. “I'm...sorry,” he said with a crack in his voice. The broken sound heavily contrasted against his furious face. It then occurred to Keith that Lance most likely couldn't see the paladins. But from Lance’s reactions to their voices, he knew Lance could hear them.

 

“What have you done to him?!” Allura exclaimed. “If you think you can get away with this, you are heavily mistaken.” Sendak let out a chilling laugh. It was somehow scarier when you couldn't see his face on the video screen.

 

“Well if you care for this worthless weakling so much, you can come and get him. If you come to our base and give yourselves to us, his pain will cease. However, if you do not, his suffering will only get worse from here on out.” Keith took a step back. No.

 

“Y-you can't just...do that!” Lance yelled. “I won't have it!”

 

“Silence!” Sendak’s voice cut through the air. To the team’s horror, his robotic hand began to light up with sparks.

 

“Stop!” Keith yelled. “Don't do it!”

 

“ _This_ and so many worse things will happen to your blue paladin if you do not give yourselves to us.” Sendak’s electricity then made contact with Lance’s body. It flowed through his veins as the boy writhed on the chair. Keith winced. The pain looked so unbelievably unbearable. Lance’s screams made their way into Keith’s ears and sent chills through his whole body. When Sendak finally let go, Lance’s breaths were visible in his chest. You could hear his desperate panting.

 

“We need to save him somehow,” Pidge said, a look of worry and determination prominent on her face.

 

“The only way is to give yourselves in.”

 

Lance then stared forward, looking straight at whatever recording device was before him. “You can't do that! I won't let you! It's a trap.” Sendak’s cold fingers made contact with Lance’s face in a hard slap. Lance wasn't fazed and continued to speak. “I can endure it! Voltron can't be risked for me! Don't give yourselves in! I'm not worth it!” His words left a mark on Keith’s mind. _Voltron can't be risked for me. I'm not worth it_. He was wrong. Of course he was worth it. Sure, turning himself and the rest of the team in was risky but another way like a rescue? There had to be another way. They had to save Lance, one way or another.

 

The video feed panned back to Sendak. His evil face seemed even more menacing after Keith knew what he had done. “Remember paladins. Turn yourselves in, and his pain will cease.” After that remark, the video disappeared, as if it had never been there in the first place.

 

The team stood, stunned. Nobody knew what to say. They didn't dare break the silence either. Everything seemed so much more real. They had known that if Lance was alive, he would be well, less than okay. But seeing him with all those scars? Witnessing the torture he’d been enduring. That put everything into perspective.

 

“I-I….,” Shiro stuttered but didn't say a word. That wasn't good. Even Shiro and Allura were at a loss for words. Keith scanned the other paladins. He could see the tears in Hunk and Pidge’s eyes, Hunk’s more noticeable than Pidge.

 

To everyone's surprise, Coran spoke up first. “We’re all devastated. But we need to think of a plan to rescue Lance. We now know he is alive, so it's possible.”

 

“But Sendak,” Hunk began. “He said the only way to save Lance would be to turn ourselves in.”

 

“There has to be another way,” Shiro interjected. “We need time. Time to make a plan.”

 

“We've had time! It's been four months and nothing! Maybe we can fake a surrender. It'll be quick and we...we could get out of there in time.”

 

Keith knew it’d be a suicide mission. Hunk was incredibly smart, but Shiro was right. What they needed was a well thought out rescue plan. Plus, they'd have to get Lance’s lion as well.

 

“Hunk,” Keith said, as gently as he could. He hated to let down the guy. “Lance’s captivity is making you think irrationally. We’d die if we went in there now. And they might not keep their promise about Lance.”

 

Keith saw something snap inside of Hunk. Whatever thread that was holding him together died. “Why are you telling me this?!” He lashed out. “What do you know about Lance? Did you ever even care about him?!”

 

Keith was stunned. Hunk wasn't one to lash out. This wasn't like him. Lance’s torture had really gotten to him. “Hunk, I-”

 

“I don't wanna hear it.” Hunk interrupted, oddly calm now. Keith wondered how he could turn off any anger so fast. “I know you guys are right. I'm just...worried about him, ya know?”

 

“Well all understand, Hunk. And we want him to be safe as soon as we can. But we need a plan. Allura, you got any ideas?” Shiro turned to the princess.

 

“We need to know exactly where Lance is. I am sure it's recorded in their database, along with a map. Pidge,” she said, turning to the green paladin. “Do everything you can to hack into that database. We need to know where Lance and his lion are.” Pidge nodded. “We also must formulate a plan of infiltration. Someone needs to get Lance’s lion. Someone else needs to get Lance himself. We don't have to determine who, yet. We can't go anytime soon. For now, everyone should train. In and out of your lions. We won't have Voltron, not even when exiting because Lance will not be able to pilot a lion in his condition. Someone will have to pilot blue, so we may not even take all four that we have.” It didn't sound promising. Not take all the lions they had? Keith knew it was for the best. Allura had to stay at the castle since they might need an emergency wormhole. Still, it was risky.

 

“Okay paladins, you heard her,” Shiro said. Almost like it was an unspoken command, everyone dispersed. Nobody wanted to talk at that moment. Thoughts of Lance still swam through Keith’s head and they weren't leaving anytime soon. Pidge sat in her control seat, pulling up her computer and the technology surrounding the chair. Getting right to work. Hunk left through the door, Coran watched Pidge, and Shiro went up to talk to Allura. Keith didn't know what they were saying but didn't really care either. He felt like he was frozen. If he moved, that'd mean the moment had already passed. Like it never really happened at all. But it did. It was real and no matter how much Keith tried, he couldn't escape it.

 

After a concerned glance from Shiro, Keith finally left. He tried not to walk too fast. He might come off as angry. Was he angry? Keith didn't know.

 

Yes. He was angry at Sendak. And whenever Keith’s emotions took over he did the only thing he knew how to do. Train. It’s what he did whenever feelings became too strong. Emotions too hard for him to bare. He never coped well with feelings, making emotional issues increasingly difficult. Training was a distraction. It helped him let his anger out. At least it was better than moping in his room for hours on end. That gave him too much room to think. He didn’t want to do that.

 

Keith didn’t know how long he trained. He could feel sweat dripping down his face. A mullet really wasn’t the best hairstyle for being physically active, even when he tied it in a short ponytail. He remembered Lance telling him to cut it and the notorious nickname “Mullet.” Keith almost smiled, until he thought of Lance’s current state and pushed the thought of nicknames from his mind.

 

The robot fighter advanced on him. Keith held his ground and then charged. He felt exhaustion begin to overcome him and knew he’d fail. Yet, he persisted. He envisioned Sendak’s cruel face in his mind and attacked with all his might. He so badly wanted to hurt Sendak. He kept swinging and swinging his bayard. Slicing and stabbing. He let his anger towards the Galra monster take over. Even when the robot dissipated, he kept on swinging. Keith didn’t realize he was attacking the air until his knees gave way and he collapsed on the ground. He overworked himself. _Idiot,_ Keith thought. He laid on the ground for a long while, not wanting to stand. The ground was like his sanctuary. He took deep breaths, in and out. He tried not to focus on how broken his voice sounded. Keith then stopped. What was he doing? Lance was being tortured by the fucking Galra empire and he was lying on the floor pitying himself for his stupid anger issues and physical exertion.

 

Lance’s words flashed through Keith’s mind. _“Don't give yourselves in! I'm not worth it!”_

 

And again.

 

_“Don't give yourselves in! I'm not worth it!”_

 

And again.

 

_“I'm not worth it!”_

 

Did Lance know the effect he had on the team? Keith hadn’t realized it prior, but he was like the glue that held them together. The one to lighten the mood when times were rough. The one who brought Pidge to bed when she stayed up too late on her computer. The one who appreciated Hunk more than anyone and acknowledged how smart he was when the rest of the team forgot. The one who protected Allura and Coran with his life. The one who could plan with and listen to Shiro extremely well. The one who was able to pull Keith out of his shell. The selfless, brave, insecure, flirty, dorky Lance McClain. The sharpshooter. So why did he think he wasn’t worth a rescue?

 

For a moment, Keith wished to trade places with Lance. Keith knew how incredibly strong Lance was, but he had his weaknesses. Hell, Shiro could barely endure the Galra’s merciless torture. What chance did Lance stand? Keith immediately felt guilty for that thought. Lance had persisted up to now when the team left him hanging for four goddamn months. Keith would have gone crazy. At least Lance seemed sane.

 

Keith stared at the ceiling as thoughts continued to flood through his mind, showing no signs of stopping. He realized something at that moment. For these months, he hadn’t confided in anybody. He wasn’t the type of guy to do that. He was so trained in bottling up his emotions and hiding them from everybody that he didn’t think he could bare talking to anyone. What was the point of talking about it if it wouldn’t solve the problem? Even if he did speak to someone else, Lance would still be gone with minimal chance of rescue. But Keith couldn’t stay like that on the floor forever. When he’d been going through his “Galra Crisis” as he liked to refer to it, nothing had gotten better until they went to the Blade of Marmora. Until he communicated with Shiro. Shiro. He needed to talk to Shiro.

 

He couldn’t decide whether he got up hastily or regretfully, maybe both. He felt a sense of urgency surge through him, like he had to talk to Shiro as soon as he could. His stomach felt hollow with anxiety. What would Shiro say? Were Keith’s worries pointless or valid? Was he being irrational? Pain did that to a person.

 

It took Keith a while to actually knock on Shiro’s door. He stood outside, staring at the slab of metal in front of him that separated him from the older paladin. Should he even talk to Shiro? Keith considered turning around and walking away. He could pretend this just never happened. But no, he’d be reprimanding himself for that choice all day. So forth, he brought his fist up to the door and gently rapped it, not sure if he hoped Shiro was there or not.  

 

A few tantalizing moments passed before the door slid open and before him stood a tired-looking Shiro. His eyes widened at the sight of Keith’s equally exhausted looking state. “Keith,” he exclaimed with a hint of surprise.

 

“Shiro, can we talk?”

 

Keith didn't blame Shiro for looking a little shocked. It wasn't like Keith to go to talk to someone when he was going through something. He tended to keep it all inside until it was forced out. Maybe he forced it out himself this time.

 

“Of course, come in.” Shiro stepped aside, allowing Keith to enter his room. He’d been in Shiro’s room a couple times and it still kept its reputation of being the cleanest one. How Shiro did it, Keith had no idea. He didn't have any belongings scattered about; everything was where it was supposed to be. Keith wasn't sure if the clean environment made him feel better or worse.

 

Shiro walked past Keith, who stood awkwardly in front of the door as it closed, and sat down on his bed. “Sit,” the man said. Keith obliged, sitting down next to Shiro on the soft material. He avoided eye contact at first, not sure if he could bare Shiro’s concerned look. The two sat in silence until Keith’s brother figure finally spoke up. “Listen, Keith, I know you're torn up about this. But you can't just keep everything inside. Please talk to me. I'm here.”

  


Shiro’s words were oddly comforting. They seemed to ease Keith’s racing heartbeat and worries. Keith took a deep breath and finally spoke. “What was it like? Being with the Galra?”

 

Shiro grew silent. Keith immediately felt bad about bringing it up. Shiro had gone through so much trauma and it wasn't fair for Keith to remind him of the source of his PTSD. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up.”

 

“No, Keith it's okay.” Shiro exhaled slowly. “It was...terrifying. I spent these agonizing moments in a cramped cell, worrying about what these creatures could possibly do to me. Their torture was unbelievably painful and...it never escapes you, ya know? No matter how hard you try, it'll still haunt you.” Keith placed a comforting hand on Shiro’s shoulder. He hated seeing the man suffer. He’d gone through so much in his life and didn't deserve any of the pain he got.

 

“Shiro...I'm sorry. It sounds...awful.”

 

Shiro chuckled. “It was.” It always astounded Keith how Shiro could just casually laugh at his imprisonment. Like he was numbed to the pain or as some sort of coping mechanism. Keith removed his hand and proceeded to stare at the wall.

 

“I'm just...so worried for him. What could the Galra be doing to him if he looked that beat up and desperate?” Keith vented. “He said he wasn't worth a rescue, but he holds us all together. I just hate that he feels that way and I didn't do shit to change it.”

 

Keith jumped a little at the contact when Shiro put his arm around the smaller boy. He finally brought up the courage to make eye contact with his brother. “We’re all worried for Lance. I know what the Galra can do to a person and I can't stand even thinking about what he's going through. I think I noticed how Lance was acting differently and I wish I did something. But insecurities like that are definitely a battle with yourself, which makes it hard for others to impact. We could have helped though. And now that he’s gone, we’re going to do everything we can to save Lance and make him feel okay again, alright Keith?” Keith felt his eyes watering. He wasn't one to cry in front of others or seek comfort, so he somehow held it in. Shiro was right, like always. His words were oddly comforting and Keith didn't know what to say. Luckily, looks were enough for the two. Shiro pulled Keith into a tight hug and Keith, who was usually averse to that sort of thing, embraced the touch. He so badly needed the sibling-like comfort.

 

When the two separated, Keith finally spoke. “Thank you, Shiro.”

 

Shiro smiled, his cheeks rising with his mouth. “No problem little bro. Or child if I'm living up that ‘dad’ title.” Keith laughed, remembering Hunk and Lance’s “space dad” shenanigans from the paladins’ simpler days. “Now go rest. I can tell you've been training a lot and you deserve a break.”

 

Keith nodded slowly and stood from Shiro’s bed. With one last glance, he proceeded to leave the room. Once he was outside, he let out a long held breath. Thankfully, the tears in his eyes were mostly gone. Shiro had made him feel better, and Keith was grateful for someone like that in his life. Maybe they'd actually make it out of this mess.

 

Keith didn't walk for long before realizing that he had nowhere to go. He didn't like to admit it but Shiro was right about his training. Keith definitely didn't want to go mope in his room either. It'd just make him feel like shit again. All of a sudden, the thought of Hunk passed through Keith’s mind. Hunk Garrett. Engineer. Chef. Left leg. Lance’s best friend. How was he doing through all of this? Keith had gotten a glimpse of it earlier and didn't think Hunk was Keith’s biggest fan at the moment.

 

Keith almost laughed at the thought of willingly going into two paladin’s rooms to talk about feelings on the same day as he made his way over to Hunk’s room. Keith frowned when the big guy wasn't there, until he remembered Hunk’s coping mechanism. One walk to the kitchens later, he was right.  It looked like he was attempting to make cookies with what was in there, and there wasn't much to bake treats with. Keith studied Hunk’s expression. It looked concentrated on what he was doing, yet still distracted. He was no doubt thinking about the blue paladin, or trying to avoid thinking about him.

 

“Uh, hi Hunk,” Keith stuttered, not knowing what to say. He shuffled onto the table in a sitting position with his legs dangling off the edge.

 

Hunk’s head flew up and the two make eye contact. A soft, reassuring smile rested on his face, which put Keith at ease. “Hi, Keith.”

 

Keith moved closer to the yellow paladin as he stirred a bowl. “Cookies, huh?”

 

“Yeah, I...uh...I bake when I get stressed.”

 

Keith exhaled out of his nose. “I think we’re all stressed.” Then there was silence. It was a little uncomfortable. Keith could feel slight tension in the air. Yet he didn't know what to say.

 

Soon enough, Hunk spoke up on his own. “I miss Lance so much. He's my best friend and I can't take this. I know he’s going through more than I am but I feel so horrible. Also, I'm sorry for insisting we should get Lance earlier. It wasn't fair to make you feel like you were making the wrong choice. I know you care about Lance.”

 

“No, Hunk you were completely valid. He’s your best friend. You have every right to want to rescue him now. And honestly, that's really brave.”

 

Hunk smiled. “You know, you can be a real nice guy Keith.” The boy couldn't resist smiling to himself.

 

“Really?” He quested while raising an eyebrow after the smile faded.

 

“Yeah. I can see through the ‘tough guy’ facade.”

 

Keith brought his hands up into a surrender position. “You got me.” Hunk laughed and concentrated on his baking again. Keith stared at the mixture Hunk was stirring, basking in the now comfortable silence. Keith loved the vibe Hunk gave off. No matter how sad or stressed everyone was, Hunk could make the team feel better. Keith’s heart hurt when he remembered Lance used to do the same.

 

“Wanna help?” Hunk asked.

 

“Huh?” Keith was pulled out of his trance.

 

“Want to help me bake?”

 

“Oh, uh sure. I'm not good at cooking though.”

 

Hunk shrugged, letting Keith know he didn't care. Keith walked up next to Hunk and stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do. “Hold this,” Hunk said as he handed Keith a cooking tray. Unsure, Keith gripped the tray and held it out. Gently, Hunk poured the batter into individual circles, creating cookie shapes. Keith was careful not to tip it, but the batter dropped from time to time. Once the bowl was mostly empty, Hunk placed it back down on the table. Keith cocked his head in confusion as he watched Hunk dip his finger into the bowl and scoop up some batter. Keith was then taken by surprise when Hunk flicked the batter at Keith’s face, perfectly landing on his cheek.

 

“Agh!” Keith groaned as Hunk laughed. “You little shit!” Keith cursed despite the large grin on his face. Hunk kept laughing as he grabbed the tray and put it in the oven, setting the time and temperature. By the time Hunk was done, Keith had his ammo prepared. With the last of the batter, he flung it with all his might and hit Hunk right in the nose. This time they both laughed. The sounds of the yellow and red paladins rang through the castle. They laughed and laughed and laughed. Almost like a tribute to Lance, they laughed the pain away. The sadness inside both boys still lingered but was silenced by their temporary, but strong smiles.

 

Soon enough the two ran out of laughter to give, and Keith found himself wrapped in a strong embrace. Strange. It was the second time someone had hugged him that day. _Emotions are weird,_ Keith thought as Hunk let tears spill out of his eyes, his head on Keith’s shoulder. “Thank you,” he whispered. “For helping me take my mind off...everything. Even just for a little while.” Keith was filled with melancholy, yet he felt a sense of contentment as well. There was something about comforting another that seemed to numb his own pain. Keith wrapped his arms around the yellow paladin as well, returning the hug.

 

“Thank you too,” he said. The two separated. Hunk had a couple tears rolling down his face and Keith was close to crying as well. It was then when Keith realized how broken Lance’s captivity had made the rest of the team. When Lance cracked, they all cracked. They needed to stick together. Voltron was a team. Teams loved and cared for everyone. And they all had to focus on one thing. Getting their blue paladin back.

 

“I-I hope we rescue him in time,” Hunk stuttered, turning away from Keith, facing the wall.

 

Keith turned to face the same wall as Hunk. He recalled laughing with Hunk and Lance in that exact same spot. Lance had made a joke that even made Keith double over with embarrassing giggles. Keith could almost taste the memory’s bittersweetness on his tongue. Lance might have the mindset of not being worth the team’s rescue, but after that day, Keith knew he was wrong.

 

“Me too, Hunk. Me too.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woop there it is. The next chapter will focus on the other paladins so we can see how everyone besides Keith is doing (we did get glimpses of Hunk and Shiro though)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You'll try and find it.   
> Try to get it back.   
> But it just keeps slipping further away.   
> Until you have to attack,   
> Fight back,   
> Fight for him.   
> Please,   
> Why can't be just come back?   
> Someone is missing.   
> Someone you hold dear.   
> Why, oh why isn't he here?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Summary is the second half of the poem in last chapter's summary)   
> Here's chapter 4. This is all building up to the next chapter, so hopefully, I'll be able to get that one up as fast as I can. This chapter is kind of a filler but I promise that chapter 5 will make up for it. Also, I snuck a bit of klance into this one cause I can't contain myself. I hope you enjoy <3

Dark. That's how Shiro would describe the castle. Of course it was dark, everyone else was asleep. He’d made sure of it. No matter how much they persisted, the team needed their rest. 

 

Shiro, however, was a different case. He tried to sleep, he really did. But it was to no avail. He tried working himself until he was exhausted. It made him tired that’s for sure, but sleep refused to greet him. Not that he was necessarily disappointed. Nightmares seemed inevitable, so he gave anything to be awake. 

 

The nightmares had gotten worse after the video call. Beforehand, the occasional terrifying flashback to his days with the Galra would float back into his mind in the night, causing him to wake up in a cold sweat. Now, it was different. He’d been starting to work through everything, but seeing Lance suffering just like he had tore it all down. Shiro remembered the shocks. The grueling questions when they inquired about Earth and means of defense and all that crap Shiro refused to answer. They forced him to fight in the gladiator ring, drugged him, and gave him this new strange arm. What’s stopping them from doing all that to Lance?

 

As Shiro walked down the halls, his mind shifted to the blue paladin. Lance was strong. Maybe not in the way Shiro was, but he was incredibly persistent. Once he had his mind set on something, he made sure to go through with it all the way. Shiro knew how Lance held his connections with the team extremely close, as he did with his close-knit family. Yet, there was something about Lance that Shiro couldn't quite grasp. Something Shiro thought Lance didn't want anybody to see. Whatever he was feeling, it was only being intensified by the Galra torture. Even though Lance was strong, he had a breaking point and vulnerabilities, as most people do. Shiro feared that the Galra had already reached that breaking point. 

 

Days and months dragged on and on. Shiro didn't know exactly how much time had passed since the first call, but he knew it was about a month. There had been two more calls since, each getting worse and worse. The team grew more isolated from each other. Pidge was working herself to the bone with ways to communicate with Lance and security and breaching the Galra system. Hunk was spending more time in his room than ever; the loss of his cooking hobby to ease stress was alarming. Keith was always up training. Shiro didn't even know where Coran and Allura were half the time. And Shiro? He just felt like a mess. There were occasional Galra fleets and saving planets but most of their normal missions had been put aside. Without the blue lion they couldn't form Voltron and without Voltron, there was no way they could save every single planet that was in danger. 

 

So they trained. They planned. They mapped out Galra ships and predicted locations and tried to hack into security and did anything and everything they could to even catch a glimpse of their lost soul and oh god why couldn’t they just find him already he was the only one keeping everyone from falling apart and they didn’t even acknowledge it and how alone did Lance feel and was he wishing he was dead like Shiro had oh please no. Shiro clamped his hands firm on his head in an attempt to shut out the lingering voices that caused his heart to race. He felt panic wash over him as he breathed deeply. In and out, in and out until the worries were washed away with the breaths. Yet, it didn’t seem to help. 

 

“Fuck,” Shiro whispered as his anxiety kicked in. Flashes passed through his mind in little spurts. Haggar. Electrocution. Screaming. Fighting in the gladiator ring. Cold nights spent alone with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company. Shiro did his best to calm down. He used all the tricks he’d taught himself. Coran had given him some kind of Altean medication but Shiro left that in his room, so he took deep breaths. Focused on the hallway in front of him. Tried to be self-aware that his brain was tricking him into feeling this way. It helped somewhat, but the lingering feeling never disappeared. At least he wasn’t shaking with panic anymore. 

 

He recalled the feelings he felt while imprisoned. He’d developed alarming thoughts. For a long period of time, he wished for death. Those feelings had mostly subsided after becoming a part of Voltron. During his imprisonment, he had no purpose. Now he had one, the black paladin. Lance surely mustn't feel the way Shiro did. He was the blue paladin. He had a reason to keep going. But Shiro of all people knew that the mind wasn’t that simple. Even if someone had so many people that cared for them, so many people that wanted to see them safe, a purpose in life that they follow through with immensely well, they can filter out all these things and only let negative thoughts go through. That’s why Shiro worried. Not only for how they were going to get Lance back, but how he would be after they did. If they did. 

 

Shiro stopped his stroll as he reached a large window. He ran his fingers through the white part of his hair as he stared out in front of him. The universe was filled with stars. Some bright, some dull. Shiro’s eyes caught an unusual light far off to the right of the window. This particular star seemed to have a glowing blue tint. Shiro smiled to himself, for the first time in awhile. Maybe it was a sign. A sign that finding Lance wasn’t a lost cause. Shiro continued to scan the area in front of him, then finding a red star, a brighter than usual yellow one, a green one, a pink one, an orange one, and a grey one, all scattered throughout the sky before him. He knew it was all a coincidence, but it seemed to comfort him. It was like his team was always going to be together in the stars. Like they'll eventually be back like that. 

 

Shiro let his eyes flutter closed, pressing his forehead against the cold glass. He couldn't help but smile to himself. He held onto that sliver of hope that he knew would disappear in a heartbeat. He held on tight. Cause he feared if he let go, he’d lose it all. 

 

Shiro didn't feel strong. He didn't feel like much of a leader. But he knew the team saw him that way and that they looked up to him. Shiro had to put on a strong act throughout all of this. He had to be there for his teammates. But in the night, shrouded in darkness when nobody was watching, was when he could really feel. Feeling was tiring. It was worrying. Yet, it was necessary. That night, Shiro was able to get his feeling out. Walking back to his room, Shiro felt content and slightly hopeful. And for the first time in weeks, he didn't have a nightmare.

 

...

 

Pidge couldn't believe it. Matt was there, right before her eyes. Pidge could recognize his warm smile and squinting eyes (because he could barely see without his glasses) anywhere. Pidge wanted to hug him. She wanted to run up to him, wrap him in her arms and never let go. She needed to move. She needed to go to him. Yet, she couldn't. 

 

“Matt?” Pidge questioned, her voice coming out raspy as she called to her brother. Matt just smiled and held out his arm in front of him. Pidge stared blankly at his extended hand, confused as to why he wasn't speaking. She was then shocked as his hand began to fall apart, pieces floating into the wind like stray pieces of paper. Just like that, Matt was gone again. He...he disappeared. Pidge felt her heart rate accelerate as she began to panic, until she heard a familiar voice behind her, calling her name. 

 

The girl turned. It wasn't Matt, she knew for sure. When she saw who it was, her mouth gaped open. Lance was there this time. Yet he looked extremely different. He was covered in scars, clad in Galra prisoner clothes, and a constant stream of tears flowed from his eyes. He smiled too, though the crease of his eyebrows told Pidge he wasn't happy in the slightest. 

 

“Goodbye,” he croaked, looking as if he was about to vanish, just like Matt had. No, Pidge couldn't let it happen again. No no no. She tried to run. She tried to grab the broken boy in front of her. She couldn't budge. She shut her eyes tightly as Lance began to fade, not wanting to witness what she had just seen happen again. And when she opened her eyes again, everything was dark. She was alone. 

 

“Ah!” Pidge screamed, sitting upwards quickly. Her eyes adjusted to the sudden abrupt light around her as she took rapid breaths. Pidge’s heartbeat only began to decelerate when she saw the laptop propped up on her lap and the interior of the castle surrounding her. She exhaled with relief. It was just a nightmare. 

 

Pidge rubbed her tired eyes. Where was she? She knew she was in the castle, but no clue where. The building was filled with random rooms that most people hadn't explored. Pidge must have wandered into one of them without remembering. She wasn't surprised, she hadn't been getting much sleep after all. The only relaxation she managed to get was in small spurts. The last hadn't gone well, evident by her still shaky hands. 

 

Pidge opened her laptop again and straightened herself, wiping a bit of drool from her chin and trying to concentrate on her work. But to no avail. There was something about the haunting nightmare that didn't seem to let Pidge focus. She should be working. She was trying to figure out how to hack into the Galra security camera system. Any previous attempts had either failed or brought her nowhere near Lance. But it was a crucial job, and Pidge couldn't give up. 

 

So why couldn't she focus? Why couldn't she just push out the contents of her dream and forget all about it? Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple. So Pidge let herself think and go over the dream in her mind. The vision of Matt breaking apart and fading away sent chills down her spine. She was  _ so close. _ It may have only been a dream, but she felt like she’d failed somehow. She never handled failure well. 

 

And then there was Lance. The blue paladin, her teammate, her friend. The boy who’d constantly ask Pidge if she was okay and pulled her away from tedious nights trying to find her family because “dammit Pidge you need some sleep.” The one who after her brother was so brutally taken from, she learned to confide in and reminded her so much of the family she once had. That was it. Lance reminded her of Matt. The way he was always there for her. His lighthearted humor but ability to be serious. His inquisitive nature to always know how Pidge and his other teammates were feeling. Lance was like the big brother she had lost. And now she lost him too. 

 

Pidge placed her laptop on the ground as she curled her knees up to her chest. She rested her chin in the crevice between them and tried not to cry. That’s what the dream had meant. Pidge already lost Matt. She couldn’t lose Lance too. She recalled the time when Shiro was gone. Lance was the one to hold the team together as everyone was falling apart. Ha, Pidge really took that for granted now that he was the one who was gone. Lance didn’t let the team see him break. He stayed strong for everyone. Lance really could be a paragon of leadership, or at least somewhat. 

 

The girl managed to smile as she recalled the time they finally got the video game to work. It was during the time Shiro went missing. Pidge was working herself nonstop and while she didn’t feel as if she’d pass out, her overt tiredness made her irritable. Lance was the one to coax her out of her room to Hunk’s. Hunk had been waiting for them next to a device that looked like a television. He smiled and held up the video game Pidge and Lance had bought at the space mall. Hunk had actually made a television and console to play it on with that genius brain of his. At first, Pidge had declined. She had important work to do. But Lance convinced her that she needed to take a break, so she ended up playing with them. She remembered the laughing. The excited screaming as they took the game way too seriously. The way they leaned on each other’s shoulder for lighthearted fun but also comfort in those trying times. Pidge didn’t realize how her eyes teared up as she thought of it. What she’d give for something like that now. 

 

 

She took a deep breath. She wouldn’t bring herself down even more. If she wanted that again, she had to work. She needed to do everything she could to find the missing boy and so help her if she failed because she would not give up. Pidge was not about to sit and wallow in self-pity. She was too determined to do nothing, so she grabbed her laptop again, dried her eyes, and got to work. 

 

It took her a moment to recall what she was doing. Her laptop was lit up purple and a large box stared her in the face. She scowled. The dreaded password box. It was never that much of a problem though. She could hack through it. 

 

After about five minutes of meticulous hacking, she was in the Galra’s prisoner files. Her eyes scanned the screen before her. The files were in a typical conveyor belt formation. She clicked the right arrow over and over again, scrolling through the seemingly endless list of captives. With each file, she grew more and more angry. How could Zarkon do this? Keeping all these innocent people locked up and tortured. She felt her blood boil but moved on, eyebrows furrowed. 

 

Her eyes widened as she approached a file with a very familiar name on it. She grinned. “Gotcha.” Pidge clicked the file with the name “Lance McClain” printed on the front and braced herself. But alas, no preparation could have prepared her for what she was to see. 

 

The basics were shown first. Pidge read them out loud in little bursts of whispers. “Lance McClain...Blue Paladin of Voltron…human...16 years...Cell: extreme security.” Pidge scoffed. “Well, now we know why the cameras are so hard to break into.” Her eyes caught the imprisonment date. Five and a half months ago. It had been so long. Why couldn't they just save him already? Why were they waiting? 

 

Before Pidge knew it, the word kept replaying over and over in her head. Why? Why? Why? Why? Pidge gripped the strands of her short mousy brown hair, pulling it tightly. Anything to make it stop. _ Why?! Why Pidge? Why can't you just find him?! Why are you unable to find everyone?  _

 

Pidge pushed her laptop to the side. She couldn't bare looking at the file. She forced herself up, unwillingly of course, but what else was she to do? Pidge had to walk away. She should get something to eat. Talk to somebody. Clear her head. 

 

With one last gasp before she left the room, Pidge cried, “I promise I'll find you, Lance. I promise. Matt too. I'll find both of you.” 

 

...

 

 

It wasn’t like Hunk to mope around in his room. Actually, any member of the team was more likely to do that besides him. But Hunk didn’t feel like himself. Therefore, he sat alone in his room, letting his thoughts wash over him. 

 

The truth was that Hunk had run out of distractions. He tried everything. Cooking. Talking. Engineering. Going on odd missions with Coran or actual Voltron missions, which were scarce these days. All those things had really been preoccupations. They stopped Hunk from thinking about and missing his best friend. 

 

It was hard to push those thoughts back though. He tried to be lighthearted and bring the team up. Maybe he could make up for Lance’s loss. But Hunk just wasn’t him. Lance couldn’t be replaced, despite some of the things he’d vented about to Hunk. He was the only one who could truly hold the team together during a disaster. The team was slowly realizing how much they actually needed his presence. 

 

Hunk remembered the long nights at the Garrison. The twilight hours where the stars, the moon, and soft glow of the dorm room lamp were the only light. Hours of studying and work passed, and both boys tired. Hunk knew Lance got a bit strange while sleep deprived, but it was the first night Hunk had caught a glimpse of what laid underneath the mask he worked so hard to put up when he realized that everything wasn’t alright. 

 

Lance had begun to vent. First about Iverson, then about not being good enough. Hunk recalled Lance’s voice in his mind. “What if…what if Iverson’s right? What if I’m not good enough? What if I amount to nothing?” Hunk had hugged Lance tight that night, wiping away tears. It hadn’t been the first night they’d fallen asleep in each other’s arms, but it was surely different. 

 

Hunk’s own eyes started to tear up as he remembered the nights the roles were reversed. The times when Hunk’s anxiety got the best of him and Lance was the only one able to calm his nerves. The only one who understood. Hunk smiled, remembering how Lance gave the best hugs, even though he insisted Hunk did. Hunk never denied it though.  _ Good huggers gotta stick together,  _ Hunk thought, his teary eyes being paired with a smile. 

 

Hunk wasn't sure if he could stand sitting around like this anymore. He’d done a significantly larger amount of training, sure, but it was taking  _ so  _ long. Hunk knew they had to plan. He knew Pidge and Allura had been doing extremely hard work. (Hunk rarely ever saw them these days). He knew Shiro and Keith were training like hell depended on it. But Hunk? He was getting sick of all this stalling. They needed to get their friend back. How would they carry on without trying? 

 

He decided to distract himself with more memories. Times when Lance was here. These memories happier than the last. One of Hunk’s favorite nights in the castle was when Coran pulled out a box of strange Altean instruments. The team had been lounging around together, relaxing after a particularly difficult mission. Coran tried to explain the musical devices, but nobody understood how they worked. Except for one, that is. Lance had picked up an instrument that looked strangely like a ukulele. He strummed it and then smiled to himself. Hunk had smiled as well. He was the only one who knew Lance could play. Before they knew it, Lance was peacefully making music, his voice accompanying the chords. He sang calming songs, ones that were fast paced and in a Spanish tongue, and an assortment of love songs. Hunk loved watching the shock on everyone’s faces as Lance sang. Especially Keith’s not so subtle blush as Lance’s voice filled the room. By the time he was done with his last song, everyone was smiling and leaning on each other. They had been swaying to the slow rhythm together. Keith’s head had ended up on Lance’s shoulder a couple times too, which resulted in Keith looking even more like a tomato. 

 

“My mama used to sing that to me when I had nightmares,” Lance had said after he finished, the last song in Spanish. “It calmed me down. I thought we could use it, ya know?” 

 

Shiro pat Lance’s shoulder as he stood. “Thanks, Lance. We all needed that.” Lance had grinned at the approval of his leader and hero. He’d then turned to Keith. 

 

“So, mullet? What did you think of my voice? Pretty beautiful right?” 

 

Keith’s reply came out stuttering. “I-I yeah, Lance. Your voice is...nice.” 

 

“Score!” Lance had exclaimed. He then wrapped his arms around Hunk and Keith, like Hunk had done in that same spot when they were first becoming paladins. Hunk wanted to ingrain their laughs from that moment in his mind. 

 

The memory faded all too quick, and Hunk was pulled back into the unfortunate reality where Lance was gone. Hunk sighed, his hand resting on his cheek. An idea then slipped into his mind. He turned his head and lifted the pillow laying on his bed, pulling out the item underneath. He fingered the thin material in his hands before turning the photo over. The corners of Hunk’s lips tugged upwards as he saw what was before him. 

 

The photo consisted of everyone in Team Voltron. It was a true candid. The members of the team all laughing, all happy. Their arms were tightly wrapped around each other with smiles so large they seemed unbelievable. They'd met an alien race with a photo capturing system very similar to what was on Earth. Lance must have gotten a photo from them, it didn’t belong to Hunk. Back when the blue paladin had first been captured, Hunk had stayed in Lance’s room for a little while. He tried not to snoop or anything, but after lifting the pillow to adjust it, Hunk found the photo laying under it. Hunk had kept it ever since. He promised to himself that he’d sneak it back in when Lance arrived, but for now, Hunk wanted to hold onto it. 

 

His eyes caught a patch of darkness on the corner of the photo. Odd. Hunk hadn't noticed that before. It wasn't black, just a small circle that was slightly darker than the rest of the photo. A cold feeling washed over him when he realized that was a tear stain. Lance's tear stain to be precise. It broke Hunk’s heart to know he’d been crying. Hunk should have helped. He could have helped. He was the only one who truly knew about Lance’s insecurities. What if they'd grown and he hadn't done anything? Why didn't he do anything? 

 

Hunk fought the urge to rip the photo after his surge of emotions and shoved it back under the pillow. He then laid his head on the soft material, hoping to wash all the thoughts away. Maybe he could find memories like the day of the singing or the photo. Maybe they could create new happy memories. Maybe, just maybe, the sadness could end. 

 

...

 

Rest. It seemed like a stranger to Allura. How could she rest when one of her paladins was missing  _ again?  _ Coran insisted she sleep for awhile, that she was overworking herself. Well, so be it. If that's what this all took, then she was willing to sacrifice a couple hours of sleep. A couple hours being an understatement of course. Allura was sure she hadn't slept in at least two days.

 

Avoiding Coran seemed to do the trick. Allura loved Coran dearly, but it was really the only way to get extra work in. She tapped the screens before her, reading over the Paladins’ latest training scores. They'd been having a significant increase in group training exercises. Allura needed the data to estimate if they were ready to sneak onto Zarkon’s ship yet. This wouldn't be like past battles with Zarkon. He wouldn't be allowed to know they were there. That definitely increased the difficulties. 

 

Allura smiled to herself when she saw the significant improvement in everyone’s training scores. Maybe they would be skilled enough to actually stand a chance. Her eyes scanned the bars showcasing the scores until she reached the far right of the screen. There was Lance’s score from before...before...Allura couldn't bring herself to think of it again. His number was significantly lower than the others, but he hadn't been here for months. He’d actually been one of the best in multiple categories. Allura wished he’d known that. Shiro had told her about his suspicions regarding Lance’s mental health and self-esteem. It worried Allura to no end. Back when she was the princess of Altea, she'd seen many people, royalty and citizens, come into the infirmary for treatment. Sometimes physical. Sometimes mental. Allura wondered if she could have helped somehow. No matter. There was no way she could do that now. She just had to focus on the task at hand. 

 

The princess cast Lance’s score aside on the screen, unable to look at it anymore. She went back to the other paladins. Her hopes began to rise slightly. They were  _ so _ close. Soon, they'd be able to make a plan, and end this all. 

 

So, why did Allura feel so bad? They were stronger now. They were going to get Lance back, somehow. Her father always told her to believe in herself. “No,” Allura muttered, thoughts of her father clouding her mind. Her grief had most definitely eased over the months, but her emotions regarding the blue paladin and her dad almost overwhelmed her. Allura quickly wiped away a tear rolling down her cheek. She took a deep breath, gasping as it got a little harder to breathe. 

 

“I must be strong,” she whispered. But she could afford to wait a couple moments to regain her composure, couldn't she? Her mind shifted to her memories of Lance. The earliest was when she fell out of the pod. Huh, she’d been so distracted by the immense flirting and the confusion initially that she'd forgotten he caught her. Now that she thought about it, Lance’s selfless nature was most impressive. He jumped in front of Coran when the bomb went off. He constantly protected the Balmera and reminded others it was alive, or so he said after the mission when he and Keith were having another argument. Things had gotten better too. For one, there were fewer arguments between the two before Lance was taken. The flirting also lessened as Lance and Allura became better friends. She remembered the night they shared skin care routines and smiled. 

 

Allura’s smile kept growing until she began to laugh. Laugh laugh laugh. This is what Lance did, wasn't it? To hide away the pain. It didn't seem to work for Allura. There was no one to hide from, and she still felt not so good. Oh well. The princess continued to think. 

 

She smiled once again, recalling the gossip sessions she and her mice had done together, sometimes with Hunk as well. Admittedly, Allura was a bit of a snoop, so she loves talking with the mice. She remembered the funny stories they told her about the paladins. Specifically focusing on Lance this time because quiznack, she missed him. She missed the light he brought to the team. She missed how he could somehow put a smile on just about everyone’s faces. 

 

The mices’ stories involved all sorts of shenanigans. Allura’s particular favorite was the one about Keith and Lance accidentally cornering themselves during a fight and furiously blushing the whole way through. Honestly, you'd have to be blind to not see how those two felt about each other. Well, given that they were both the most oblivious idiots Allura had ever met, it was understandable that they didn't see it. 

 

Happy thoughts were nice. Allura longed to experience those events that crossed her mind again, in person. But to do that, she had to make sure their mission went well. They couldn't afford to lose. Not now. Not when Lance had been missing for so long. 

 

So Allura went back to work. She went back to planning, meticulous thinking and preparation for the upcoming battle she knew would inevitably come. It was then that Allura knew she was ready. She was ready to save Lance. She was ready to get their blue paladin back. She was ready for anything. 

 

...

 

Coran loved to look at the stars. They were calming to him. Whenever he had free time, which was rare, he made an effort to stare out the window for a little while, scanning the vast space before him. He’d made sure Allura was getting some rest before he made his way to the large window. He hoped she was actually resting. Saying Coran was worried for Allura was an understatement. She was getting hardly any sleep, and she worked herself to the bone. Being her guardian, Coran needed to make sure she was okay. Or as close to okay that the team could get these days. 

 

As Coran stared at the bright lights, he remembered the conversation he'd had with Lance a long while ago in that very room. They were still on Arus and Lance was feeling particularly homesick. That had been Coran’s first glimpse of the boy’s inner feelings. It saddened Coran to think about it. That hopeless look when Coran had shown him just how far Earth really was. They were no doubt farther now and it didn't exactly matter because Lance was...gone. 

 

Coran took a deep breath and stood from the steps he'd been resting on. He walked a couple steps forward and then stopped. As he pulled up the bright blue diagram of the cosmos that spread all around the room, a pang of nostalgia hit him from the simpler times when he’d last pulled it up. His eyes scanned the bright stars and planets surrounding him. He wished to fade into the stardust as an escape from...well...everything. 

 

He began to recall even more conversations he'd had with Lance about their homes. One night when Lance wasn't feeling too well, he and Coran had shared details from their home lives. Coran smiled at the thought of it. Earth seemed oddly nice, and extremely peaceful compared to Altea. What was the point of falling water in place of flaming hot rocks flying through the sky? It didn't make much sense to Coran, but the planet made Lance happy. Coran was almost surprised at how much he’d be willing to sacrifice for the boy’s happiness. 

 

And Altea. Oh, how Coran missed it. He longed to see the planet again. To see the castle bustling with familiar Alteans who hadn't been apart of the universe for ten thousand years. He wanted to hold the juniberries again and see his diplomat and friend Alfor. But that wasn't possible. Altea was gone. And now, one of the only people on the ship who was somehow able to make Coran feel better about it was gone too. 

 

Sure, he could always go to Allura, but Coran didn't want to disturb her. He mainly talked to Allura when trying to convince her to rest. It was almost always a failure, but he really tried. It was the least he could do to help the team. 

 

And he really was helping the team. Coran had basically become the castle mechanic. Him and Hunk that is. They were always doing repairs and finding distress signals. They certainly couldn't partake in as many missions as they used to without Voltron, but the team tried to help anyone they could. Coran sure hoped they understood that they were in the middle of a crisis. 

 

Coran couldn't seem to go even a couple minutes without thinking of Lance. How was he doing? The last voice call had been a while ago, compared to the average frequency of them. It had been almost seven months since Lance had been taken, but they'd only started getting the calls four months in. Frankly, Coran was starting to get sick of it. It was obvious Lance’s state had been getting worse and worse over time. Coran would give anything to take him out of those circumstances. 

 

He was suddenly pulled from his thoughts when the screen before him started blinking red. He made the model of the cosmos dissipate and quickly pressed the floating screen, accepting the incoming message. It could only be from the Galra. His heart rate began to accelerate. What was coming in? Was it another call? No, the calls were different. They made a jarring alarm sound and covered the whole room. The video feed also appeared on the window. This, however, floated in the air from a screen. 

 

The red blinking ceased as a file stood before Coran’s face. It was definitely from the Galra. “Quiznack,” Coran cursed, eyeing the photo right in the center. Lance was asleep but in a sitting position. One arm chained to the wall with scars and Galra prisoner clothes adorning his body, the boy looked so incredibly beaten. Coran’s heart hurt at the sight of him. Once he couldn't stand to look at the photo anymore, he swiped right, opening the file. What was inside just horrified him even more. 

 

The file showcased the torture the Galra had put Lance through over the months. Coran’s eyes widened as he read on. He began to whisper with a tremble in his voice. “Interrogation. Electrocution. Hitting. Pushing. Chaining. Drugging.” Coran shivered with fear. How could those monsters do those things to Lance? He clenched his fist, protective feelings washing over him. Coran wasn't one to get angry. Yet, the Galra seemed to bring out the worst in him. 

 

Coran was particularly intrigued by one of the details. Druid sessions. What could that possibly mean? Coran knew the druids loved to experiment, as evidenced by Shiro’s arm. It was also most likely Haggar who controlled these sessions, since Lance was most likely their most important prisoner. So what did she do to him? It really could've been anything, so Coran decided not to dwell on it too much. 

 

His eyes trailed over the section of strengths and weaknesses. His heart ached when he saw insecurity mentioned on the list. Types of insecurities were briefly listed as well. Coran had known some of this stuff. He didn't only comfort Lance when he was homesick. Yet, it was still jarring to him. The other paladins surely must know as well. Maybe Coran would have to tell them. 

 

Soon enough, Coran reached the end of the file. In the last section was small scrawled out text, obviously meant for the members of Voltron. It read, “Offer still stands. Turn yourselves in and his pain will cease. Do not, and it will only get worse.” 

 

No. They weren't risking it. Not when they were closer than ever to rescuing Lance. Coran could feel it. He’d talked to Allura recently, and knew a rescue was on its way. Lance just had to stay strong until then. Coran had no doubt that Lance could do it. He really was exceptionally strong. 

 

Coran felt an unfamiliar burst of anger. Quiznack, he was acting like Keith. No matter. Lance was missing, but they were going to get him back. The team would make the Galra pay for every finger they laid on Lance. Every patch of skin they bruised. Every scar they etched into his body. The Galra didn't know what was coming for them. And neither did Lance. 

 

...

 

Everything was numb. Just like he’d been numbed to the world. What was the point of anything? What was real? What was fake? Everything was spinning. Spinning spinning spinning. The world wouldn’t stop moving. Yet, everything was still. Lance was stuck in a torturous time loop. So badly he longed to get out. But how? There was no way. Over the months that seemed like years he was drained of every bit of hope he’d tried to cling to so desperately. It was all gone. 

 

Coughs rang through the blue paladin’s cell. They wouldn’t cease as Lance sputtered on the ground. He felt like someone was beating drums in his head. This was all too loud. He needed it to stop. It didn’t seem like he could control whatever was going on in his mind. So he let the screams inside of him rise. Hopefully trying to ignore them would do something, even the smallest of things. 

 

Sendak really wasn’t lying when he said Lance’s pain would just become more intense. The usual encounters Lance had did occur, but things were so different. Haggar came more often. Haggar and her damn druids. They messed with Lance’s mind even more, and he despised it. They had begun to use the other device on the side of his room. They strapped him to the long platform, questioned him, and sent shocks through his body, all while distorting his vision and perception. Haggar’s clone trick never failed to weaken the boy. Lance so badly wanted to get revenge, but he had no way of doing so. 

 

Lance had no way of knowing whether his team had tried to rescue him or not. Maybe they did, but Lance highly doubted that. A small part of him was glad. He had to have succeeded in convincing them to not endanger themselves. Sendak’s offer had terrified Lance. His team couldn’t turn themselves in. They were too important to do that. Lance could endure the torture he was put through if it meant his team was safe. Still, he craved solace. 

 

Lance tried to focus in on the few positive factors of his situation. They were scarce, but present. One was the fact that his team didn’t put themselves in danger. The other was Lance was actually trying to be stronger. His time in Galra captivity hadn’t given his health many benefits. He barely ate after the Galra began drugging his food and he certainly didn’t get any physical exercise. It was challenging, but Lance made an effort to try and work his body when he wasn’t chained up to the wall. He practiced standing and walking. It had taken him a whole day to stand up, which was annoying, but progress. Now, he could jog a couple feet. Maybe he could do more, but his cell wasn’t large enough to try. 

 

The ringing in his head only quieted when the door before him slid open. Lance let out a sigh. He knew what was coming for him yet every day he still dreaded it. He lifted his hand that wasn’t cuffed to the wall up to his cheek and felt the dampness of them. Why couldn’t they just dry before this? He was already weak and the Galra knew that. But he had to seem at least a little strong. 

 

Lance muttered a curse when Haggar made her way into the room. Haggar days were the worst days. He had to start his mental preparation for whatever the druid had planned. 

 

“Blue Paladin,” she snarled. 

 

Lance let out another cough. “What is it? Another session, right?” 

 

Haggar raised an eyebrow curiously. “Not today. I have come to inform you of Zarkon’s decision regarding what to do with you.” Lance could’ve sworn his heart stopped right then and there. Yet he was still sitting in his cell, living and breathing. “You have been with us for exactly seven months. You’ve traded in valuable information. We will be sure to use it to our advantage. But, you’re resilient. Even after enduring our worst methods, you refused to give away the real information we need. Your team mate’s locations. Their weaknesses. The people they hold dear. Many planets you’ve visited for missions. It’s just like your talk of those simulations you did. You’ve failed us.” 

 

Lance bit back his tongue. He wanted to speak, but he was just too afraid. It was true that he didn’t give away any of that. How could he? He didn’t even know Voltron’s location and the others would just lead the Galra to his team. What if they took the people that they love from Earth and questioned them too? Lance knew that was one of the things they wanted, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let them have it. Still, he wondered where this was all going. 

 

“You’ve proven yourself useful, but we seem to be done using you,” Haggar continued. “Our final decision has been made.” Lance didn’t feel good. The ringing in his head came back, increasing with every passing second. He felt like he was going to throw up the small amount of food inside him. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. This wasn’t good. This wasn’t good. This wasn’t good. 

 

Haggar’s voice sent chills down Lance’s spine as she spoke. “Three days from now, you are to fight in our Gladiator Ring.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao rip lance amirite   
> Seriously, though, I'm super excited to get chapter 5 up and transition into the next phase of this fic.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heal what has been hurt  
> Change the Fates' design  
> Save what has been lost  
> Bring back what once was mine  
> What once was mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, I've decided I'm not going to finish this fic. It was my goal, but I'm very disinterested in writing this now, especially because I've realized how kind of shit trope-y langst fics are and I don't want to just put him through all this suffering. I am someone who relates to Lance heavily, so I have no doubt in my mind that his insecurities are very real and present, but having him kidnapped and tortured is just so excessive and overdone, especially when it's done for the purpose of other character's angst. However, I am going to post the chapter five I have written and then put in the notes I have for the rest of the chapters so you can still read what would've happened fully if I wrote the entire thing. I'm sorry if you were a fan, but I'm done with this. I'll orphan or abandon (idk which one does what so I need to figure that out) the work after I post this, but it'll still be here. 
> 
> NOTE: This chapter is unedited, so there probably will be mistakes

**Chapter Five:**

 

Keith was never one to wait. He was impulsive, always acting in the moment. He wasn't particularly a big fan of waiting either. He hated the useless feeling where you could do nothing but sit around while the world collapses before you and well...wait. This...this was the longest wait of Keith’s life. 

 

Normalcy felt like a myth. It had been so long ago that Keith felt the least bit normal. His definition of normal had definitely changed. When he went into space, that wasn't normal. But now, being with his teammates, his friends, his newfound family, that was normal. He didn't have that anymore. He hadn't had that for seven months. 

 

But now they were finally getting somewhere. Hope seemed to radiate throughout the castle. Everyone knew it was time. Time to infiltrate Galra headquarters and get Lance back. Keith felt his heart race every time he thought about it. There really was a chance that Lance would be back in their lives. That possibility seemed so far away, yet still close. 

 

The day it was time, everyone knew. Allura had made an announcement two days prior, and they'd been switching between nonstop training and resting. They needed all the energy they could get. That morning, Keith could feel the nervous energy buzzing through the air. He sensed the tension at the breakfast table as they all engaged in light conversation, their minds elsewhere.

 

Keith felt hollow with anxiety. There were so many things that could go wrong. They could all be captured. Lance could be hurt even more. They could all be hurt. They could all be killed. Despite it all, determination ran through Keith’s veins. He needed to get Lance out of there, no matter the cost. And Keith knew the rest of the team felt the same way.

 

Breakfast had barely concluded when they all made their way to the main hub. Allura and Coran had been absent from the table, which wasn't too worrying, but Keith thought they had to eat. Coran spent an awful lot of time with Allura lately, no doubt comforting her and being a good father figure. 

 

Keith briefly scanned the people before him. They all stood in a semicircle around Allura and Coran. He couldn't help but notice the prominent dark circles around their eyes. Pidge looked like she hadn't slept in three days, which might very well be true. She held some strange device, Keith assumed it was her computer. She mentioned making some modifications to it. Hunk seemed to be shaking. Keith wanted so badly to try and help him calm down, but now wasn't the time. Shiro moved to stand with Allura and Coran. He looked prepared, but Keith had spent enough time with Shiro to know that he was still tired beyond belief. The team was lucky they had adrenaline and motivation to run on. They'd been waiting for this for months. Now was finally the time that pent up energy would be released. 

 

“Okay Paladins,” Allura spoke up. “Shiro, Pidge, and I have been working together to devise a plan. We think we have something and we want to carry it out today.” 

 

“We’re ready, Princess,” Keith said. 

 

Allura nodded. “Pidge has installed the invisibility feature on all your lions. However, we will only be taking two. Pidge and Keith will fly their lions. We will not be taking the black lion because it is far too dangerous with Zarkon being able to sense it. Hunk and Shiro, you will ride in their lions. Keith will find and retrieve Lance, while Hunk and Shiro will get the blue lion. Pidge will stay back in her lion and guide both of you after hacking into the security.” Allura paused for a moment. 

 

“Why aren't we taking my lion?” Hunk asked. 

 

This time it was Shiro’s turn to explain. “Hunk, we need you to pilot the blue lion. We believe she’ll trust you the most, especially since Lance is physically unable to pilot. Once Keith gets Lance, he’ll make his way back to the red lion. You’ll then fly the blue lion out of there and we’ll make our way to the castle.” 

 

Pidge pushed her glasses up. “We should be able to stay hidden for a little bit, but we’ll be sighted eventually. We should just make sure if they're aware of us and the castle’s presence, they don't know where the lions are. The cloaking device should help with that.” 

 

“Adding to that,” Allura began. “The castle will be able to put up the particle barrier and take heavy fire, but we won't have long before we won't be able to anymore. We need to be in and out with this, got it?” 

 

All of the paladins nodded simultaneously. “We won't let you down, Allura and Coran,” Hunk said. 

 

“Alright!” Coran clapped his hands together. “Five minutes ‘til we wormhole to Zarkon’s ship’s location. You can take this time to prepare yourselves.” With that, everyone was off. Allura went to her podium and gripped the sides tightly, mentally readying herself for whatever was to come. Pidge, Hunk, and Coran began having a conversation discussing the technology of the mission. That left Keith and Shiro. Keith didn't exactly want to talk; his mind was elsewhere. But it was obvious that Shiro wasn't having it. 

 

“Are you okay?” He inquired, staring at Keith with that concerned glance that Keith had a love/hate relationship with?” 

 

“Are you?” Keith raised an eyebrow. 

 

“Don't worry about me. I'm asking about you.” 

 

“I don't think any of us are okay, Shiro. All I know is that we’re ready.” 

 

Shiro nodded. “Yeah, we are.” Keith felt Shiro’s hand resting on his shoulder. The reassuring touch was comforting, but did almost nothing to calm Keith’s worries. 

Five minutes passed all too soon and Coran’s voice rang through the castle. “Wormholing now!” Sure enough, they were transported to a new location. Keith moved a few paces forward towards the window, Shiro’s hand slipping off. He couldn't see Zarkon’s ship. It was safer to be further away. They'd have to move closer eventually, since the lions couldn't escape with that much distance between them, but it was good for now. 

 

“Alright paladins!” Allura yelled. “It's time! Keith and Shiro, go to the red lion. Pidge and Hunk, go to the green lion. Turn on your cloaking devices and make your way to the ship. We’re counting on you.” 

 

“We’ve got it princess!” Pidge piped up as the four paladins ran to their hangars. They somehow managed to fit two people into one hangar thankfully. With Pidge and Keith piloting their respective lions, they then flew out.

 

“Follow my instructions, Keith. I know the way,” Pidge said. 

 

“Will do,” Keith responded. They weren't flying long before Zarkon’s ship was visible. Keith felt his heart rate increase at the mere sight of it. This was it. Lance was somewhere on that ship. And Keith was going to find him there. He had to. They were so so close. 

 

“We’ll be landing on a weakly guarded section of the ship. There is a small secret entrance that I can hack into. Hunk, Shiro, and Keith, you get in there and I'll guide you through.” 

 

“Gotcha,” Hunk said. Pidge began to instruct Keith where to go, as the invisibility device prevented him from seeing the green lion. After a bit of dodging stray Galra ships, they landed near the back. There were no guard ships to be seen, which was a relief. They'd also gotten there undetected, which meant as long as no ship bumped into them, they'd be good. 

 

Keith leaned forward, staring out the window. He tried to spot a secret entrance on the ship. A couple seconds later, the wall began to open. “Okay, go! The coast is clear of sentries right here so don't worry about that right now. Keith, go left. Hunk and Shiro, go left. Good luck boys.” 

 

“Good luck to you too Pidge,” Shiro said. They hopped out of their lions and made their way to the entrance. Once Hunk, Shiro, and Keith were inside, the entrance closed up. They lingered for only a moment, staring at eachother, determination flowing through them. They could do this. Hunk and Shiro turned to run rightwards, and Keith did the same in the opposite direction. He waited for instructions as his feet hit the ground, echoing throughout the eerily quiet corridor. Pidge had gotten two microphones to avoid confusion. One that goes to Keith and the other to Hunk and Shiro, so Keith had no idea what was going on with them. He hoped they'd be okay. 

 

He hadn't been running for long before he heard static materializing in his ears and Pidge’s voice rang through them. “Alright, Keith!” She yelled. “You're on the right track. There’s a fleet of sentries a while ahead of you. Once you reach them, clear the area and enter the door to your right. I'll check back in with you then.” 

 

“Will do,” Keith responded. He felt his heart burning in his chest. He suddenly wasn't at all afraid. Any and all fears had been crushed by the urge to save Lance. As he scanned the halls, he couldn't help but notice how small the hallway really was. Lance’s cell must have been small too. Keith knew Lance absolutely hated small spaces. Ever since the incidents with the healing pod and the airlock, the team knew of his newfound claustrophobia. Keith wondered if Lance’s cell had triggered that at one point. Nonetheless, it just made him want to destroy the monsters that had taken him even more. 

 

Keith knew he was close when he heard the shuffling of guards before him. He slowed his run to a speed walk and gradually made his way towards them, swiftly whipping out his bayard. Once he turned the corner, he caught one by surprise, shoving the sword right through their back. They fell to the floor with a hard thud, and Keith went on to take out the surrounding ones. There was about seven soldiers, those of which Keith exterminated quite quickly. To his knowledge, they hadn’t notified anyone of his presence in time, which was good. He turned rightwards, spotting the door Pidge had mentioned. Once he entered, Keith spoke, hoping his voice would reach Pidge. “I’m through the door,” he said. “Which way now?” 

 

“Things get a bit more complicated here. Luckily, we parked relatively close to the prison, but it’s still a way’s from where you are. Go down this hallway and on the third set of doors, go left. Once you go through there, you’ll enter a circular room with a control panel in the middle. There is one guard seated at there, you can take them out. On the panel is a guide showing which door is which, using symbols. Go through the door with an ‘x’ above it. That’s the prison,” Pidge explained. It was a lot of information, but Keith could handle it. Pidge tapped out before Keith could say anything, so he made his way through the hall. 

 

Every hall on the ship seemed so similar. The same purple hue and lights all around the walls. Keith wondered how the Galra navigated this place. It was so cold and unforgiving. He couldn't imagine being forced to live out his life here. It dawned on Keith that this had become Lance’s reality. How many times had he even left that drab cell, if any? He didn't want to think about it. “Find Lance, find Lance, find Lance,” he whispered to himself, refusing to focus on anything else. 

 

Keith counted the doors he passed. They came faster than he expected. The first and second set came by in a flash, and Keith soon reached the third. The door to his left was different, some Galra symbol scrawled onto it. That was it. Keith readied his bayard, knowing a sentry was in there, and placed his hand on the scanner, opening the door. 

 

The sentry’s head immediately flew up. They pulled out a gun and went to press a button, but Keith was too fast for them to do anything. He quickly dodged a shot and ran up to the side of the sentry, slicing the blade through their chest. Once they fell, Keith kicked their gun aside and turned to the panel they were standing at. The complicated Galra tech and writing was almost overwhelming, but Keith was sure he’d be able to decipher it. He quickly canceled a signal that was transmitting to who knows. It was no doubt the button the sentry pressed before Keith took them down.

 

Keith scanned the screens and his eyes caught a chart of symbols. That must have been what Pidge was talking about. It looked like a map of the circular room, but instead of about fifteen doors, fifteen symbols were printed around the room. He spotted an “x” right in front of the panel and when he looked up, the door with that symbol was straight in front of him. Keith smirked to himself and ran around the panel, heading to the door. Exhaling, he turned the knob and opened it. 

 

He jumped at the sight of two guards. Luckily, he held his activated bayard in his hand and got through them easily. Keith then realized how heavily guarded the prison must be. “Pidge. Are you there?” He whispered. “How many guards are here?” 

 

“Let me see,” she muttered, her voice sounding strained. Her stressed tone didn't sit too well with Keith, but it wasn't important now. “Woah, the prison area is filled with guards. You're in the less important sector at the moment, there's about four guards along the way and a large door ahead of you. That leads into the heavily guarded sector, where Lance is being kept. Once you get in, kill the sentries, and use the one with gold trim on their armor to unlock the door, which is the last one on the left. According to the Galra files, that one can unlock the doors in the sector.” 

 

“Okay, got it.” 

 

“Oh and uh, one more thing,” Pidge cut in. “Good luck Keith. I really hope you can get him out of there. I-I miss him.” 

 

“Me too,” Keith responded, just as the signal faded. He then furrowed his brows and began to run forwards. As Pidge said, he ran into a couple guards throughout the place. After what seemed like forever, Keith finally reached the aforementioned door.

 

It was large and grey, with neon purple accents. In front of it stood two seemingly harmless sentries. Unfortunately, they'd probably heard the commotion and were ready in a battle stance. To say it was challenging for Keith to dodge their blasts in the thin hallway was an understatement, but he managed. Just as his bayard had sliced through the first sentry’s torso, Keith looked back to see the other one all the way down the hall. “Fuck,” he muttered, but didn't stay hung up on it. There was no point in chasing the sentry. The Galra were going to know about his presence eventually. Besides, he needed to focus on finding Lance. 

 

By the time he made it through the next sector, he was exhausted. Sweat dripped down Keith’s forehead from taking down all those sentries. His heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the limp bodies sprawled around him. Keith tried not to think about it, killing the guards. He scanned the floor intently and eventually spotted the soldier he was looking for. Keith sliced off the hand of the fallen sentry with the gold trim and held it tight in his hand. He gazed forward and began to walk. It only took him a few paces to get to the end of the hallway and once he turned left, the door was right in front of him. 

 

This was it. This was the cell where Lance was being kept. Keith took a couple deep breaths, his exhalations fogging up the frigid air in his helmet. He felt his heart pounding harder and harder as he stared at the door. There were still so many things that could go wrong. Everything could come crashing down. But, none of that mattered now. All that mattered was that Keith was going to see Lance. The team was going to see Lance again. He took one last deep breath, and held the hand up to the scanner, the door slowly sliding open. 

 

Keith immediately ran into the cell, but froze only a few paces in. He felt glued to the spot he stood in, unable to move. Right before him, sitting on the ground, was none other than Lance McClain. The blue paladin. The sharpshooter. Keith’s heart ached at the sight of him. His saw the boy’s brown matted hair that had grown out a lot during his imprisonment and the Galra prisoner clothes he adorned. It didn't look right. Lance’s hands were free, but a chain fell from the wall beside him. Keith’s blood boiled as he noticed the chain and the other devices in the cell. Damn the monstrous Galra who’d done this to Lance. Speaking of, Keith couldn't stop staring at Lance’s scars. They were...everywhere. They reminded Keith of Shiro’s marks, brutal and jagged, breaking the skin with zig-zag lines. Keith didn't realize he was shaking. Lance was shaking too as he stared right back at the red paladin. The moment felt like hours, but only lasted mere seconds. 

 

Keith opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, the blue paladin had gotten up impressively fast and wrapped Keith in tight hug. Lance’s arms shook around Keith’s back as he laid his head on the other’s shoulder. Keith enveloped his arms around Lance as well. Both boys shook as they embraced each other. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” Lance exclaimed through muffled sobs. Keith ran his fingers through Lance’s hair, trying his best to comfort the boy. 

 

“We were so worried about you,” Keith whispered. “I'm sorry we didn't come earlier.” Keith traced a scar on Lance’s neck. He felt himself coming close to crying as well as his eyes teared up.

 

“It's okay, it's okay...Wait.” Lance suddenly broke the hug and gripped Keith’s shoulders, staring at him with those wild blue eyes. It comforted Keith to see their familiar starlight glint. “Did you guys turn yourselves in.” 

 

“No.” Keith shook his head. “We’re breaking you out of here.” 

 

“Oh, thank-woah!” Lance was interrupted by tripping on his own feet. Keith quickly caught Lance before he slipped, lifting him upwards again. He let out a rushed breath. “Guess I'm not as strong as I used to be. I've been...trying, I guess.” 

 

“Can you walk?” 

 

“I think. I might need support, though.” Keith nodded and wrapped his arm around Lance’s back. He was going to be significantly slower, but he'd do anything to get Lance out. Especially after seeing the sharpshooter so hurt. Lance's safety was all that mattered to him. 

 

The two staggered out of the cell, leaning on eachother, trying to stay stable. It was a challenge, but they managed. Lance’a coughed worried Keith. He really needed to get to a healing pod soon. For now, all Keith could do was hope. 

 

Lance’s body was shaking in Keith’s arms. He turned his head to look at the boy, whose eyes looked panicked and dazed. He was gazing forward with a wide stare. Keith didn’t have to wait long before the blue paladin began to speak. 

 

“They…they were gonna make me fight in the gladiator ring. I, I was going to die. Keith, I’m so, I just, it was so…” 

 

“Terrifying,” Keith finished, shocked at Lance’s sudden realization. 

 

“Yeah, that.” Silence followed, Keith wanted so desperately to hold Lance there and never let go as if all hell depended on it. But they had to move on. They had to get out. 

 

Trudging through the hall was less than fun. Every ten seconds or so, Lance would whisper something incoherent. He sounded like Shiro often did when he had to undergo panic attacks. Keith didn't like that at all. Luckily, no sentries appeared. Keith dared to feel a little hopeful about their situation. 

  
  


That hope was crushed the second they entered the circular room from earlier. Before them, stood at least twenty sentries, armed and ready to attack.  _ Damn it,  _ he thought. This had to be because of the one he let get away. Keith inhaled sharply and with difficulty, activated his bayard. “Lance!” He yelled. “Can you be stable while I fight these guys off?” That was his first mistake. Why didn't he just focus on Lance? Why hadn't he been calm? 

 

“Yeah,” Lance coughed. “I'll be fine.” Keith nodded and faced the guards. Lance leaned against the wall behind them. He had nothing to defend himself with, so Keith had to kill the guards quick. He started on the first, dodging their blows and quickly stabbing them in the gut. Keith picked up the sentry’s gun as he dodged another shot, ready to give it to Lance so he could defend himself. But when he turned around, it all went to hell. 

 

Lance’s groan of agony filled the air as he doubled over, clutching his stomach. Keith had heard the shot of a sentry’s gun go off and when Lance’s hands slowly moved away, shaking vigorously, he found them caked in a layer of crimson blood. Keith felt his heart stop for a moment, as tears filled his eyes, blurring and distorting his vision. His knees began to shake. “No,” he whispered. 

 

Lance shot Keith a look with those ocean blue eyes, half-lidded and tired. He then fell to the ground with a cold, hard, thunk. 

 

…

 

Hunk’s list of things he was willing to put up with today was quite short. This definitely wasn’t on it. Sneaking around a Galra ship didn’t do well for his anxiety, but he had to push it all down. This was for Lance after all. He had to do it. Thinking about Lance only rose his nerves even more. Hunk had no idea if Keith had even found Lance yet. If he did, Hunk hoped Lance was alright. He wouldn’t be able to stand losing his best friend forever. No. That wasn’t going to happen. Hunk couldn’t think like that. Now, he had to focus on the mission. 

 

Shiro, who was in front of him, slowly paced forward, leaning against the purple wall. Hunk quickly followed, trying his hardest not to be seen. Though it was hard with his large bayard activated at his side, it wasn’t that easy to do. Pidge had given them directions to get through this hall until they reached an open area where ships were stored. That’s where the blue lion was being kept. It wasn't going to be easy getting through there, but they had to push through. 

 

“Alright Hunk, I can see the room coming up,” Shiro whispered. There are two sentries guarding the entrance, but we’re mostly clear. Remember, once we get in, we need to kill every single sentry, so word doesn't get out.” 

And 

“Got it.” Hunk nodded. “I hope this goes well.” 

 

“Me too.” The two turned the corner and charged, giving the sentries, who were talking about something unimportant, barely any time to even equip their weapons before they laid limp on the floor. Hunk adjusted his bayard as Shiro used one of the guard’s handprints to unlock the door. It was like a digital force field, shown by its dematerializing after the handprint was put in. 

 

Hunk and Shiro gave each other a quick glance and ran in. Hunk wiped the sweat off his brow as they made their way through the hall. The sound of his feet hitting the ground pounded in his ears. His heart began to pick up speed as he and Shiro reached the end of the hall, leading towards the storage room. They both took a deep breath and left, bracing themselves for whatever was before them. 

 

And it was...nothing. Hunk and Shiro made confused eye contact and scanned the room before them. No ambush. No flood of sentries. No alarms blaring. Just Galra ships in their storage spaces. 

 

“This is...suspicious,” Hunk said with a cautious tone. “Yeah, I really don't like this.” 

 

“I'll walk ahead a little bit and see if the coast is clear,” Shiro replied. “You trail behind in case anything happens.” Hunk let Shiro pass him and kept his eyes on the black paladin as he carefully tread through the room. He made sure to have his machine gun bayard equipped at his side. The silence was eerie, and only made the pit in Hunk’s stomach grow larger. 

 

Hunk’s heart nearly leaped out of his chest when a sentry slid out from behind a long alley and punched Shiro. The paladin, caught off guard. Fell to the floor. The sentry aimed their gun at Shiro, preparing to shoot in an agonizing second that gave Shiro no time to move out of the way.  _ Blam! _ The sentry fell to the floor, still with their gun laying next to them, as Hunk held his bayard up. Smoke leaked from the tip. Shiro stared at Hunk with wide eyes, and soon enough a smile appeared on his face. When the coast was clear, Hunk lowered his bayard and walked over to Shiro. He offered his hand, and pulled the man up. 

 

“Thanks Hunk.” Shiro took a couple breaths once he was standing. “Don't know what I would've done without you.” 

 

“Hey, that's what teammates are for.” Hunk shrugged. They then continued on throughout the room, attacking an ambushing sentries. The apparent tactic they had in that area was to wait in nooks and corners until they spotted someone who wasn't supposed to be there and pounced. Hunk definitely got jumpscared more than once, and he felt his energy depleting the more he fought. By the time the two paladins had checked every corner and area where a sentry may be hiding and any new ones that came in, they both were exhausted. 

 

“Pidge!” Hunk tapped in. “Where exactly is the blue lion? You think you'd see it with how big it is,” he muttered. 

 

“It's right around that group of red ships. How do you not see it?” She groaned, sounded exasperated and tired. It struck fear into Hunk’s heart that something might have happened with Keith and Lance, making Pidge like that. 

 

“Uh, Pidge there's nothing there,” Shiro said. 

 

“Hm, let me see something,” She replied. Hunk could hear the rapid tapping of a keyboard and the clicking of buttons. “A-ha! The Galra put an invisibility cloak over it. Give me a second to deactivate it.” 

 

A couple beats passed before a shield similar to the castle’s particle barrier appeared and began to deteriorate, revealing the large blue lion. Hunk immediately felt a pang of sadness attack him. It was so intense, he felt like falling over and never getting up. 

 

“There you go. I've locked all the doors too and they should be in impenetrable by normal sentries.” 

 

“Thanks Pidge,” Hunk replied. The connection then went out, and Hunk gazed up at the towering lion before him. He still felt like he was going to fall. What was doing this to him? He’d been fine a second ago. 

 

“Hunk, you okay?” Shiro asked. 

 

Suddenly, a thought dawned over him. “I...I think Blue is communicating with me. She's...sad...desperate.” Hunk felt Blue’s cries wash over him. He fInally understood what he was feeling. Blue was calling out to him, connecting with him. It seemed as if she was only speaking the Hunk, judging from the lack of a reaction from Shiro. One word rang through Hunk’s ears from Blue.  _ Lance. Lance. Lance. Lance.  _

 

“She's...she's scared. She's calling for Lance.” 

 

“Let's get in,” Shiro said. “She might calm down a bit.” Hunk agreed, so the walked closer to the lion, approaching the front. They waited only a moment for Blue to lower her muzzle and spread it open, allowing the paladins to enter. 

 

As they went inside the lion, Hunk placed his hand on her gently. “It's okay girl. We’re going to get Lance back.” A warm sensation suddenly went through him, like Blue was a cat licking him appreciatively. Hunk even managed a smile. 

 

“Look, it’s Lance’s armor,” Shiro pointed out once they were in the cockpit. Sure enough, Lance’s paladin armor laid on the ground next to the chair. 

 

“You hold it, Shiro. I'll sit down ‘cause I guess I've gotta pilot.” Shiro picked up Lance’s armor and gripped it tightly in his hands. Hunk pushed past him, sitting into the chair that'd been left alone for so long. It was cold to the touch, making Hunk uneasy. “She's...hesitant. I'm not her normal pilot after all. What if...what if I fail?” 

 

Hunk felt a reassuring touch on his shoulder. He looked up to see Shiro shooting him a concerned glance. “You’ll do great. You and Lance have the strongest bond out of any of us. Try communicating with her.” 

 

Hunk nodded, a burst of confidence surging through him. He closed his eyes and began to whisper, attempting to connect with the Blue Lion. “I know I'm not your normal pilot. I know Lance is in danger. But please, let me pilot you this one time. We need to save Lance and this is the only way how. He's in no condition to fly. We...I need to do this...to play my part in saving him. Can you work with me? Woah!” Hunk cried out as Blue’s head shook in a nodding motion. He and Shiro gripped the chair to keep from falling. “I guess that's a yes.” 

 

Blue purred, making Hunk feel warm inside. “I...I think I can do this.” 

 

Shiro smiled. “I know you can.” 

 

“So...what do we do now?” 

 

“Now, we wait and hope.” 

 

…

 

Keith couldn't see. He couldn't hear. All he could focus on was his heart thumping in his chest, pounding like a drum. But he had no time to dwell. He was in the middle of an ambush. He didn't know what was going on actually. He heard blasts whizzing past his ears and only jerked back to life when one hit his foot. The shot was weak and his armor was protective, so he wasn't harmed, just taken out of his trance. Suddenly perceptive again, he ran to the body on the floor. 

 

Kneeling next to Lance, Keith placed his hand on the boy’s stomach. When he lifted it, it was covered in blood. Lance's eyes were open, but only half-lidded. Keith immediately pressed his ear to Lance’s chest. There was a pulse oh thank god there was a pulse. Keith felt his blood boil in anger. Hadn't the Galra taken enough? They'd captured Lance. They imprisoned him and made him succumb to months of torture. They mentally scarred him for who knows how long and now he was laying on the floor almost unconscious because they couldn't damn well let him leave without a last shot. Keith, Keith had enough. He wanted to make the Galra pay. He wanted them to suffer as much as Lance had, more than Lance had. He wanted them to get a taste of their own medicine. 

 

With energy filling his body and rage filling his mind, Keith whipped his bayard in front of him, shielding Lance in a protective motion. He sprang upwards and charged, immediately slicing through a sentry who was coming up on him. The boost of energy had Keith running around the room faster than he ever had before. He ran for Lance. He stabbed for Lance. He sliced for Lance. He made them all pay for Lance. It was like that time so long ago at the training deck, where he couldn't stop lashing as emotions overtook his body. Sweat mixed with tears as Keith ducked to avoids blasts and shoved his swords through bodies, feeling content with every thud on the ground. 

 

Keith’s senses were all messed up. Black circles hovered around his field of vision, messing up the he perceived things. There were no more shots, no more guards charging at him. The room was...quiet. Keith waited a moment for his senses to come back to him, and once they were fully restored, he ran over to Lance. Kneeling beside the neatly unconscious boy, all his senses came back to him in a heartbeat. He checked once more, and Lance was thankfully still breathing. Keith sucked in another breath, and wrapped the blue paladin in his arms, hoisting Lance up as he stood. Keith expected to struggle at least a little bit, but...nothing. He could lift Lance with ease. The pit in his stomach grew even heavier when Keith realized how much weight Lance lost. And now he was bleeding out. 

 

“Don't worry, Lance,” he whispered, directed more at himself than the actual injured one. “We’re going to get you out of here. You're going to be fine.” As if on cue, he let out a groan, but didn't wake. Determined, Keith ran forward, clutching Lance in his arms, ready to get out of there. 

 

“Pidge!” Keith tapped in as he ran through the familiar hallway, no doubt with sentries on his tail. “I have Lance, but he’s hurt real bad. We need to get him to a cryopod  _ now. _ ” 

 

“Well, the Galra are definitely aware of our presence by now. The castle is taking heavy fire and we don’t know how long Allura and Coran can last. Hunk was able to get and pilot Blue, and took Shiro back to the castle to get his lion. Now we’re all out here fighting. All we need is you, Keith.” 

 

“Okay, I’m on my way.” His breaths were ragged as he ran. Keith heaved with exhaustion, but kept moving on. His arms shook with Lance in his grasp. Keith couldn’t dare look down, but risked it anyways, only for a moment. Lance’s injury only looked worse, and now that Keith could see him up close, his scars were absolutely terrifying. It reminded Keith too much of Shiro. Lance had gone through the same exact thing. Keith was able to save Shiro. Now, he could save Lance too. That thought gave Keith a last bit of adrenaline and got him to run even faster, finally reaching the space where his lion was perched on the side of the ship. 

 

As if on cue, the entrance he’d came through opened up and the cloaking device was disabled. It had to have been Pidge, which was amazing considering the fact that she was out in battle at the moment. Keith made his way to his lion with ease, feeling comforted by Red’s warming presence. Being inside his lion seemed to re energize Keith. For the first time during the entire mission, he felt only confidence surging through him. 

 

“Alright, Red! Let’s save Lance!” Keith whooped. He sat in the cockpit, an unconscious Lance still perched in his lap. It was hard, but he was able to reach the controls. Red let out a guttural roar and began to soar through space. Keith quickly swerved and made his way into the heated battle. He saw Hunk, Shiro, and Pidge attacking Galra fleets and blasts. They seemed to have it under control, but he could tell they were becoming weary. 

 

“Keith!” Hunk yelled over the intercom from the Blue lion, his excited tone almost putting Keith at ease. “You have Lance, right?!”  

 

“Yeah, I got him right here. He needs a healing pod soon. Allura, when can we wormhole out of here?” 

 

Keith heard a grunt, no doubt from Allura, as the castle behind them shook. “We can get out as soon as you all clear the area of the smaller Galra fleets. They may be able to get into the wormhole if you don’t.” 

 

“But please be as fast as you can!” Coran added. “The castle is taking heavy fire and the particle barrier won’t last much longer.” 

 

“We’ve got you covered,” Shiro said. “Paladins, attack!” Keith was almost astonished at how fast the others raced into battle. They were hungry to win, ready to attack the people who had made their teammate, their friend, undergo so much pain. There was cheering, laughing, shouts of “For Lance!” If only Lance was awake to see how much everyone cared. If only he knew. No, Keith was going to make sure he knew. Keith was going to tell Lance how incredibly worth it he is until the blue paladin believed him, no matter how long it took. 

 

They wiped out the fleets lightning fast. Everyone was breathing heavily, but they were also refreshed. Keith could tell the rest of the team was letting out their pent up anger. Granted, they didn’t have as many issues with it as Keith sometimes did, but he knew they’d been bottling it up for so long. 

 

“Alright, Paladins! Make your way towards the castle. I am opening a wormhole now.” 

 

“We’re coming, Allura,” Pidge responded as everyone turned towards the castle ship. They flew there fast, considering the fact that there was no doubt going to be more ships that pursued them. The most comforting moment was when the wormhole ripped through space and Keith could see it right before him. It was of course, ruined when an alarm on his lion began to beep. 

 

“Ships are coming up behind us, let’s get in fast!” Keith said, as he pushed the controls to accelerate. With the other lions and the castle behind him, he phased through the wormhole, disappearing to a new location, far far away from the monsters that had bent and broken him and his team. 

 

Once everyone was safe, they flew to the castle as fast as they could. Keith wasted no time running out of his lion, still clutching Lance. He placed his hand on the boy’s wound.  _ Oh god please let him be okay please please be okay,  _ Keith thought, running to the healing chamber. “Everyone come to the healing chamber!” Keith yelled through the communication device in his helmet. He skidded to a stop when he reached the room, the rest of the team close behind him. 

 

“Lance, oh my god, Lance!” Hunk, who was the second to arrive, exclaimed. Keith watched they way his eyebrows furrowed with concern when he saw the wound. “The wound! Is he...is he okay?” 

 

“For now, but we have to move quick.” 

 

“Keith! Where is Lance?” Allura asked, running into the room. Her hands flew up to her mouth when she saw him, but she quickly regained her composure (or at least faked it) and began to open a healing pod. As she rapidly pressed buttons, the rest of their team made their way into the room. They crowded around Keith and got their looks at Lance. Tears were evident in everyone’s eyes. Keith’s heart warmed when Pidge smiled so big it stretched all the way across her face. 

 

“He’s hurt,” she said. “But...he's back.” 

 

“Yeah, Pidge. He’s back,” Keith replied. His head snapped up when he heard a healing pod rising and opening up.

 

“There's no time to put him into the suit. We can wait for the fatal wound to heal and then change him. He’ll definitely have to stay in the healing pod after the wound is healed, in order to heal other cuts and re energize him,” Allura explained. 

 

Keith nodded and walked over to the healing pod. He carefully placed Lance inside, the door materializing and locking him in. Right when he went inside, he already looked fresher, a little more okay. Physical wounds weren't going to be the only ones that needed healing, but they'd get through one at a time. 

 

It began to wash over Keith that they'd done it. They rescued Lance. After seven, long, tired months of pain for both Lance and the rest of the team, he was finally with them again. Their family had been brought back together, and Keith would give up anything for his new family. They had their sharpshooter, the glue that held the team together. 

 

Keith’s teammates seemed to be thinking the same things he was. They crowded around the cryopod with him. He felt Shiro’s hand touch his back, and he wrapped his arm around the man as well. Pidge stood on his other side. Keith laid a hand on her shoulder. Soon enough, everyone stood around Lance’s pod, arm in arm. 

 

A smile spread across Keith’s face as tears pricked his eyes. Tears stained every team member’s cheeks as they all looked upon the boy who’d been absent from their lives for so long. Now, now they felt relief. Relief and hope. Hope for a better future. 

 

“We did it guys,” Keith said through muffled sobs. He pressed his forehead against the chilling glass of the pod and let tears roll down his face. “We really did it.” 

\-------------------------------------

Here are the brief notes explaining what would have happened after this: 

  * Lance goes into the healing pod for a couple days, but he's not the same when he comes out. 
  * He's more reserved. He isn't cracking jokes like he used to. That smile that all the paladins would never admit that they loved so much was gone. 
  * He dealt with the memories of the pain and suffering by himself at first. He thought it had ended but it hadn't. 
  * Until one night, the nightmares got bad, and lance was screaming in the middle of the night. Shiro and Allura decided it would be best for Lance to share a room with another paladin, and Keith offered.
  * So they share a room for awhile. Lance is getting better, but it's not leaving anytime soon. 
  * One night, another bad nightmare comes. Keith knew it was coming. Lance had been tossing and turning for an hour. 
  * But when he let out a gasp and a cry, that was when Keith got up and ran over to him so fast.
  * He shook Lance awake to stop the nightmare. Lance flew awake in tears and sweat. The two boys stared at eachother for a moment, and then Keith pulled Lance into a hug. They stayed there like that as Lance cried and Keith grew teary-eyed, until Lance whispered one word. "Stay"
  * So Keith slept with Lance that night. He didn't have a nightmare throughout the whole night.
  * And as Keith held Lance in his arms, he thought to himself that he'll never let go, as long as he lived 
  * over the months, lance begins to recover. He never becomes exactly like his old self again, but he smiles more. He laughs more. Lance is Lance again, although the pain never truly leaves.
  * And Keith is smiling too. Smiling because he was with the boy who had seemed so vulnerable, but was really so strong. He was with Lance and they were happy. And that was all Keith could wish for.



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, that's it. I'm sorry it's not completed fully.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading <3 Please leave Kudos and/or a comment if you enjoyed


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